Gender Mainstreaming as a Resource for Cohesion in Europe: Focus on Media and Political Communication

Abstract

Social and economic cohesion have been a core concern for the realization of the European project. Despite many efforts to reduce inequalities amongst European countries and people and to further develop the idea of a single space – of political participation, citizenship, policy and research – different perspectives of economic, social and political development still characterize the Union. In this context, the role and responsibilities of the media – mainstream and alternative, ‘old’ and ‘new’ – have seldom been considered, notwithstanding the fact that media organizations, media policies and political communication are core to any possible articulation of the European project as a space for citizens and peoples. At the same time, recent and not-so-recent studies have highlighted persisting inequalities and lack of equal opportunities, particularly for women, that still characterize media structures and operations, with regard to representation, access, employment and decision-making. Thus adequate attention to the media sector, and a gender-aware approach to it, should also be included in considerations about cohesion across Europe, as combating stereotypes and discrimination, preventing and combating violence against women, guaranteeing equal access to women to employment, education and decision-making positions, and achieving balanced participation of women in politics and institutional life may all be objectives that contribute to address the shortcoming of cohesion efforts. This panel proposes a reading of cohesion in European politics from a gender perspective, focusing on the concept and practices of gender mainstreaming as a potential resource to reduce inequalities and gender discrimination. It does so with a focus on the media sector, broadly understood. Contributions address different directions/areas in which gender mainstreaming can be articulated in relation to media and communication: from internal media companies’ operations, to national and European media policies and systems, to political debates and discourses revolving around gender, media and (digital) Europe (2020).