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A Critical Feminist Approach or a Continuation of (Neo)liberal Ideas? A Critical Discourse Analysis of Germany's new Feminist Development Policy

Reuter, Karen LU (2024) SIMZ31 20241
Graduate School
Abstract
The research examines Germany’s feminist development policy (FDP), presented by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in 2023. This is done to see how the BMZ engages with the feminist discourse on development and in what ways it is drawing on (neo)liberal feminist approaches, thereby relying on the status quo of feminism in development, and in what ways it is drawing on postcolonial feminist approaches, thereby incorporating criticisms towards development and its colonial legacies and contributing to social change. Throughout, the way power relations shape the BMZ’s discursive presentation of its policy is examined. Concepts central to the feminist discourse on development are applied to the analysis, namely... (More)
The research examines Germany’s feminist development policy (FDP), presented by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in 2023. This is done to see how the BMZ engages with the feminist discourse on development and in what ways it is drawing on (neo)liberal feminist approaches, thereby relying on the status quo of feminism in development, and in what ways it is drawing on postcolonial feminist approaches, thereby incorporating criticisms towards development and its colonial legacies and contributing to social change. Throughout, the way power relations shape the BMZ’s discursive presentation of its policy is examined. Concepts central to the feminist discourse on development are applied to the analysis, namely gender mainstreaming, women as economic investment, homogenization, victimization, and agency, and intersectionality. The method used is a critical discourse analysis (CDA) based on Fairclough, revealing that the BMZ’s new FDP draws on both the (neo)liberal feminist discourse and the postcolonial feminist discourse, therefore contributing both to the status quo and the related understandings of development, as well as to an enabling of ideological, social, and political change by incorporating critical points and self-reflections. (Less)
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author
Reuter, Karen LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMZ31 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Feminist development policy, German development ministry (BMZ), (neo)liberal feminism, postcolonial feminism, critical discourse analysis
language
English
id
9156807
date added to LUP
2024-06-26 12:33:27
date last changed
2024-06-26 12:33:27
@misc{9156807,
  abstract     = {{The research examines Germany’s feminist development policy (FDP), presented by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in 2023. This is done to see how the BMZ engages with the feminist discourse on development and in what ways it is drawing on (neo)liberal feminist approaches, thereby relying on the status quo of feminism in development, and in what ways it is drawing on postcolonial feminist approaches, thereby incorporating criticisms towards development and its colonial legacies and contributing to social change. Throughout, the way power relations shape the BMZ’s discursive presentation of its policy is examined. Concepts central to the feminist discourse on development are applied to the analysis, namely gender mainstreaming, women as economic investment, homogenization, victimization, and agency, and intersectionality. The method used is a critical discourse analysis (CDA) based on Fairclough, revealing that the BMZ’s new FDP draws on both the (neo)liberal feminist discourse and the postcolonial feminist discourse, therefore contributing both to the status quo and the related understandings of development, as well as to an enabling of ideological, social, and political change by incorporating critical points and self-reflections.}},
  author       = {{Reuter, Karen}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{A Critical Feminist Approach or a Continuation of (Neo)liberal Ideas? A Critical Discourse Analysis of Germany's new Feminist Development Policy}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}