This book is a unique exploration into the gendered politics of the economic crisis in Europe. The authors consider the gendered politics of the economic crisis from a variety of feminist approaches, shedding new light on the concept of the crisis and on questions of politics, institutions and intersectionality.

1. Studying the economic crisis in Europe from the perspective of gender and politics; Johanna Kantola and Emanuela Lombardo.- 2. Gender Mainstreaming EU Responses to the Financial Crisis: Institutional fragmentation and epistemic boundaries; Rosalind Cavaghan.- 3. EU institutional responses to mainstreaming in time of crisis: Gendered narrative of austerity; Roberta Guerrina.- 4. Towards Symbolic Policy? Dismantling of the EU Gender Equality Policy; Sophie Jacquot.- 5. The ‘Gendered Attack’ of the “Six Pack”: Economic Crisis and its (En)Gendered Trade-offs in the EU; Heather MacRae and Elaine Weiner.- 6. Entrenching traditional gendered vision of production and reproduction under the EU post-financial crisis; Annick Masselot.- 7. Economic Governance in the European Union: Effects on Social Reproduction; Stefanie Wöhl.- 8. Gender equality vs. austerity policies in the Greek crisis: Swimming against the tide; Maria Karamessini and Maria Stratigaki.- 9. Minority Women, Activism and Austerity: Exploring the Intersectional Democratic Deficit in France and Britain; Akwugo Emejulu and Leah Bassell.- 10. The (in)visibility of women and gender in parliamentary discourse during the Portuguese economic crisis (2008-2014); Ana Prata. 11. Gender, political parties and austerity politics in Finland; Anna Elomäki and Johanna Kantola.- 12. Austerity policies in the EU and Spain: changes and struggles around the gender regime; Emanuela Lombardo.- 13. Poland’s Crisis Response: Policy contradictions and irreconcilable objectives; Ania Zbyszewska.- 14. Conclusions for studying gender, politics and the crisis; Johanna Kantola and Emanuela Lombardo.

This book is a unique exploration into the gendered politics of the economic crisis in Europe. It focuses, firstly, on the changes in the political and economic decision-making institutions and processes of the EU and their consequences for gender equality policy. Secondly, the book analyses the gendered impacts of austerity politics on member states’ gender equality policies, institutions, regimes, and debates. Finally, it addresses feminist and intersectional struggles and resistances against neoliberal, conservative and racist politics across Europe. The authors consider the gendered politics of the economic crisis from a variety of feminist approaches, shedding new light on the concept of the crisis and on questions of politics, institutions and intersectionality. The case studies included refer to different parts of Europe, from North to South and from East to West, capturing the multifaceted gendered impacts of the crisis. The volume will be of interest to students and scholars of politics, international relations, gender studies, economics, law, sociology, social policy, and European studies.   

“This book is the political science analysis to complement the economic analysis. … This book is a direct contradiction to the major accounts of the economic crisis that have excluded any consideration of gender. … The book will be read with interest by feminist scholars of the EU and of politics more broadly. But it would also be a very worthwhile read for anyone seeking to understand the new political and economic dynamics of Europe today.” (Muireann O’Dwyer, EuropeNow Journal, europenowjournal.org, July, 2017) 

“This is a sophisticated, wide-ranging and multi-faceted book that convincingly demonstrates the importance of gendering the analysis of the economic crisis in Europe. All interested in understanding this crisis should read it.” (Sylvia Walby OBE, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and UNESCO Chair in Gender Research, Lancaster University, UK) “This book provides a compelling gender analysis of the global financial crisis, its austerity effects and civil society responses. It questions Europe’s prevailing answers to growth, stagnation and employment, including the effort to mainstream gender equality concerns in policymaking. It shows how the European Union’s monetary policy and conditionality is used to legitimise particular neoliberal policies within European states; and most hopefully, it examines the new political and feminist forces generated in opposition to crisis and austerity policies. This is a book for all political analysts who want to understand better the social and economic conditions generating the rise of inequality and populism across European democratic heartlands.” (Professor Jacqui True, Monash University, Australia)

"This is a sophisticated, wide-ranging and multi-faceted book that convincingly demonstrates the importance of gendering the analysis of the economic crisis in Europe. All interested in understanding this crisis should read it." (Sylvia Walby OBE, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and UNESCO Chair in Gender Research, Lancaster University, UK) "This book provides a compelling gender analysis of the global financial crisis, its austerity effects and civil society responses. It questions Europe's prevailing answers to growth, stagnation and employment, including the effort to mainstream gender equality concerns in policymaking. It shows how the European Union's monetary policy and conditionality is used to legitimise particular neoliberal policies within European states; and most hopefully, it examines the new political and feminist forces generated in opposition to crisis and austerity policies. This is a book for all political analysts who want to understand better the social and economic conditions generating the rise of inequality and populism across European democratic heartlands." (Professor Jacqui True, Monash University, Australia)

Develops our understanding of gender as a deeply intersectional concept, highlighting especially race, ethnicity and class Offers an interdisciplinary approach that considers economic, sociological and IR perspectives Includes discussions of the discursive dynamics between EU member and non-member states in Europe