Gender, Nationalism and Welfare: Transnational and Intersectional Challenges to Citizenship

Abstract

The politics of belonging concern both the construction of boundaries and the in/exclusion of particular people, social categories and groupings within these boundaries. These politics are locally and globally situated and affect different members of these collectivities and communities differently. The importance of an intersectional approach in the analysis of the politics of belonging can therefore not be overestimated (Yuval-Davis 2011). Support for both the welfare state and gender equality is seen as important for the politics of belonging in a number of Western societies. At the same time, contemporary nationalist and populist parties have formulated welfare and gender-equality policies that have been criticized by many observers. The assumption of these parties is that all natives are already gender equal, whereas migrants from non-Western countries are accused of oppressive behaviour in terms of such categories as gender and sexuality. The above issues raise theoretical and methodological questions about the transformations of welfare states towards multi-ethnic nation state, gender inclusive and exclusionary nationalisms and about intersectional contestations and contested issues in relation to gender equality and welfare; national belongings and identities. What have feminist, nationalist and welfare theories to offer in order to analyze these issues? How about postcolonial and queer theories? The panel contains papers using both empirical and theoretical approaches to the theme of gender, nationalism and welfare.

Title	Details
Reframing Nationalism, Gender and Citizenship – Critical Scandinavian Reflections	View Paper Details
Intersections and Inconsistencies. Framing Gender in Right-wing Populist Discourses in Austria	View Paper Details
Gender Equality, Gay Rights and the Danish Politics of Belonging	View Paper Details