Gender equality in Europe: mission accomplished or rather mission impossible?

general courses

Gender equality has been widely discussed in various contexts in last decades – mainly due to more and more awareness of its negative consequences for the humanity. Public discourse in the EU in this field has also been intensified. Although much effort has been made to fight gender inequalities in the European Union, the progres in this field seems to be far from even satisfactory. The course is aimed at both critical discussion of the question of gender equality in Europe in various contexts as well as finding constructive solutions to the problem of a lack of full equality among men and women both on in legal provisions as well as in practice of societal life.

Course description:

Gender equality has been widely discussed in various contexts in last decades – mainly due to more and more awareness of its negative consequences for the humanity. Public discourse in the EU in this field has been intensified for at least a few important reasons. Firstly, making Charter of Fundamental Rights an integral part of the Lisbon Treaty has enabled better protection of the rights of women in the EU. Secondly, there has been established and developed the European Institute for Gender Equality – aimed at supporting enforcement of women's rights in the EU. Thirdly, the European Union institutions have adopted numerous legal acts contributing to the effort of fighting with gender inequality. Fourthly, the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened inequalities between women and men in many areas, which. Although much effort has been made to fight gender inequalities in the European Union, the progres in this field seems to be far from even satisfactory.

The course is aimed at both critical discussion of the question of gender equality in Europe in various contexts as well as finding constructive solutions to the problem of a lack of full equality among men and women both on in legal provisions as well as in practice of societal life.

Plan of the course:

1. Introduction to the course. Explanation of the course merit and the conditions of obtaining final marks

2. History of gender inequalities and their fight for equality

3. Differences between women and men – biology and evolution

4. Gender-based stereotypes and their social and political consequences

5. Inequalities in gathering (and gathered) data

6. About women without women? Women’s situation in the world

7. Feminism in Europe – sociological aspects

8. Discrimination – what is it and how to recognize it

9. Accepting the proposals of topics of the students’ essays

10. Culture as a set of conditions for gender inequalities

11. Other conditions of gender inequality (e.g. men in the courts in family matters)

12. “Glass ceiling”, “sticky floor” and others…

13. Gender pay-gap and gender-based pension-gap

14. Gender-based violence

15. Feminist foreign policy

16. Women and war/peace

http://www.ted.com/talks/madeleine_albright_on_being_a_woman_and_a_diplomat

17. United Nations’ and Council of Europe’s activities in the field of gender equality

18. Beijing Platform of Action – meaning and effectiveness

19. Gender Mainstreaming

20. EU’s gender equality policy – introduction and presentation of the main aspects

21. European Institute for Gender Equality

22. Gender in the Treaty of Lisbon and Charter of Fundamental Rights

23. “Gender directives” and rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union

24. Gender index – how to measure inequalities

25. Gender equality in selected European countries (reports)

26. EU funds and other instruments of the EU gender equality policy

27. Women in lead? How to lean in

http://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders?language=en

28. Discussions on gender quotas and parities

29. Methodological problems of measuring inequalities, analyzing them and fighting them

30. Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender (in)equalities in the EU and worldwide

31. EU gender equality strategies till 2025

32. Closing remarks, summary of the main topics

33. Discussion points

Distant course

Conditions of obtaining the final mark:

• Active participation in at least 60% of our meetings

• Filling in a short test on the last day of the course (when someone is not present then, he/she will have to set up an individual meeting with me); the test will consist of 10 questions and it will refer to some aspects of political culture in various European states, it will also check the students’ understanding of the question of discrimination or efficiency of the EU gender equality policy

• A short essay (5000 characters) to the topic chosen by the student and accepted by the lecturer (during our 2nd meeting); deadline for the essay: 10th September

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