Engendering Transitions: Women's Mobilization, Institutions and Gender Outcomes (Gender and Politics)

What has been the impact of transitions to democracy on gender relations? What roles have women's mobilizations played in processes of democratization? In a new and over-arching thematic analysis, Engendering Transitions answers these questions by comparing the transitions from state socialism and authoritarianism that took place as part of the "third wave" of democratization that swept the world from the mid 1970s onwards. Using empirical material drawn from eight case study countries in East Central Europe and Latin America as well as South Africa, Georgina Waylen explores the gendered constraints and opportunities provided by processes of democratization and economic restructuring. This book uses a sophisticated analytical framework that brings together the analysis of key actors and institutions and shows that, under certain conditions, transitions to democracy can result in some positive gender outcomes such as improvements in women's political representation and more 'gender sensitive' policy in areas such as domestic violence. Georgina Waylen argues that women's mobilization during transitions is no guarantee of success and change is easier to achieve in some areas than others. Understanding the roles that can be played by organized women's movements, key actors and the wider political environment is crucial in helping us to explain why these gender outcomes vary in different contexts. This book addresses important debates within the study of both comparative politics and gender and politics and substantially improves our understanding of the ways in which transitions to democracy are gendered. Contents......Page 12 Preface......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 10 List of Tables......Page 14 Part I. Analysing Gender and Transitions......Page 16 Gender and Politics......Page 18 The Use of Reformulated Concepts......Page 19 Women as Political Actors......Page 20 Political Institutions......Page 23 Policy......Page 28 The Democratization Literature......Page 30 Non-Democratic Regimes......Page 33 Regime Breakdown......Page 34 Transitions......Page 37 Post-Transition Outcomes......Page 38 Institutional Choices......Page 41 Political Parties and Party Systems......Page 43 Economic Reform......Page 46 The International Environment......Page 48 The Approach......Page 52 The Case Studies......Page 56 Part II. Women’s Organizing......Page 64 Democratization, Civil Society, and Social Movements......Page 65 Authoritarian Regimes......Page 68 State Socialist Regimes......Page 77 Women’s Organizing in the Breakdown of Non-Democratic Regimes......Page 80 Rapid Transitions......Page 84 Pacted Transitions......Page 86 Post-Transition Women’s Organizing......Page 94 Conclusions......Page 105 Part III. The Electoral Arena......Page 108 Non-Democratic Regimes......Page 112 The Breakdown and Transition......Page 113 Post-Transition......Page 123 Electoral Rules......Page 126 Political Parties......Page 128 Quotas......Page 143 What Do Women Do When They Are Elected?......Page 147 Conclusions......Page 150 Part IV. The State and Policy Outcomes......Page 154 State Socialism......Page 156 Authoritarianism......Page 159 Post-Transition Outcomes......Page 162 State Women’s Machineries......Page 165 Constitutional/Legal Frameworks and Codes......Page 173 Gender Policy Outcomes......Page 179 Social and Economic Transitions......Page 193 Market Reforms......Page 196 Welfare Restructuring......Page 200 Conclusions......Page 214 Appendix......Page 222 References......Page 224 B......Page 244 C......Page 245 E......Page 247 G......Page 248 K......Page 249 M......Page 250 P......Page 251 S......Page 253 W......Page 255 Z......Page 256 "What has been the impact of transitions to democracy on gender relations? What roles have women's mobilizations played in processes of democratization? In a new and over-arching thematic analysis, Engendering Transitions answers these questions by comparing the transitions from state socialism and authoritarianism that took place as part of the "third wave" of democratization that swept the world from the mid 1970s onwards. Using empirical material drawn from eight case study countries in East Central Europe and Latin America as well as South Africa, Georgina Waylen explores the gendered constraints and opportunities provided by processes of democratization and economic restructuring. This book uses a sophisticated analytical framework that brings together the analysis of key actors and institutions and shows that, under certain conditions, transitions to democracy can result in some positive gender outcomes such as improvements in women's political representation and more 'gender sensitive' policy in areas such as domestic violence. Georgina Waylen argues that women's mobilization during transitions is no guarantee of success and change is easier to achieve in some areas than others. Understanding the roles that can be played by organized women's movements, key actors and the wider political environment is crucial in helping us to explain why these gender outcomes vary in different contexts. This book addresses important debates within the study of both comparative politics and gender and politics and substantially improves our understanding of the ways in which transitions to democracy are gendered."--Book cover