Advancing Feminist Institutionalist Perspectives

Abstract

Feminist Institutionalism is a perspective that takes a ‘new institutionalist’ approach to feminist research. The approach seeks to identify gender bias and the gendered nature and implications of formal and informal institutional rules, and to understand conditions for feminist institutional change. Starting as an approach mainly applied in the realm of western politics, its application and usage has today spread and developed to understand new contexts and phenomena, and to include the intersection between gender and other social identities. To remain as a relevant and useful perspective for the study of the gendered underpinnings of institutions and their gendered effects, feminist institutionalism needs to meet new challenges and continue to develop. Endorsed by the Feminism and Institutionalism International Network (FIIN), this panel seeks to advance feminist institutionalist perspectives methodologically as well as theoretically. It brings together scholars inspired by historical and sociological perspectives on institutionalism, as well as masculinity studies, and who apply feminist institutionalism on different issues and in different contexts. The panel offers a critical discussion and development of key concepts, methodological approaches and new analytical applications. More specifically papers in the panel engage in the theoretical discussion on conditions for feminist institutional change, institutional constraints, different types of norms, as well as the (gendered) logic of appropriateness. Papers also contribute to advance analytical and methodological strategies particularly inspired by long term historical perspectives and abductive research design. In addition to that, the panel offers insights on how to incorporate the intersectional perspective within the feminist institutionalist approach.

Title	Details
Towards an enhanced understanding of feminist institutional change: theorizing gendered institutional constraints and feminist institutional strategies	View Paper Details
Intersectionality and Sociological (Feminist) Institutionalism: The Whats and Hows	View Paper Details
Reforming the parliamentary workplace: Feminist theory and practice	View Paper Details
Researching the 'Inner Life' of the Executive: Gender, Minister and Institutions in Scotland	View Paper Details