IMPORTED AND NON-OURS

IMPORTED AND NON-OURS Anu Laas, University of Tartu

Gender and Power in the New Europe, the 5th European Feminist Research

Conference August 20-24, 2003 Lund University, Sweden

Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng 2

Research questions (departure)

How is gender (in)equality perceived among elite (MPs)?Is gender (in)equality a social problem? What is a discourse and (political) rhetoric on gender equality?How is gender constructed by MPs?How to study shorthand reports?


Background studies on equality discourse

Rönnblom, cited in Magnusson E (1999). GEDPoulsen H (2002). GED in ILO Schmidt V (2002). GM in E. CommissionWoodward A (2002). GM – a confusing term


Theoretical frameworkBurr V (1995). Social constructionismSpector M & Kitsuse J L (1977). Constructing social problemsChilton P and Schäffner C (1997). Discourse and PoliticsBlumer H (1989). Symbolic Interactionism


BackgroundEstonia has joined international conventions (UN, ILO) 1996, Equality Bureau at the Ministry of Social Affairs was establishedEstonia is harmonising legislation with the EU Acquis CommunitaureGender Equality Bill is not adopted, discrimination is not legally defined


Public opinion about gender equality, % (June 2002, Ariko Marketing, N=1000)

25

10

9

34

23

19

25

23

28

8

26

30

8

19

14

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

It is important toassure a genderequality in law

I have metinequal treatment

of men andwomen

Equality betweenmen and womenis an important

problem inEstonia

Strongly agree Agree Hard to say Disagree Strongly disagree


Shorthand reports4 texts from March 2002 to January 2003

Shorthand Report No 1 (SR1 13.03.2002)Shorthand Report No 2 (SR2 18.08.2002)Shorthand Report No 3 (SR3 20.10.2002)Shorthand Report No 4 (SR4 22.01.2003)


Readings of 2 different draft laws

SR1 - Gender Equality Bill (927 SE), the first reading, 7 424 words SR2 - Gender Equality Bill (927 SE II), the second reading, 11 026 words ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO SEND THIS BILL TO

RECYCLE BIN? MPs were sure.SR3 - The Equality and Equal Treatment Bill (1198 SE), the first reading, 1 600 words SR4 - The Equality and Equal Treatment Bill (1198 SE II), the second reading, 4 658 words


Studying shorthand reports

Two types of shorthand reports: unedited (used for research)edited versions Texts: presentations, explanatory notes, speechesDiscussions and questions-answers (conversations)


Shortgomings Stenographers do not make transcription in a way as social scientists and lingvists do Texts from shorthand reports lack voice, pauses, emotionsPure text gives on what was uttered on a basis of dictum and analyst can be in troubles to guess about implicationEthnographic study?


Analysing gender equality discourse

Topology of political arguments (Rönnblom 1999; Magnusson 1999) assume that gender and equality has somehow understood (rights argument, resource argument, interest argument)3 main groups of MPs in Estonia: Supporters, advocates of gender equality principle Doubtful MPs Supporters of traditional gender roles


Argumentation by rapporteur (1)

(sales letter to the draft law)1) gender equality is a quite new concept in Estonia as well in

other countries in transition;2) gender equality promotion is not yet clearly marked subfield in

the social policy;3) legislation and institutions in respective area are deficient;4) gender inequality is becoming to be a serious social problem;5) discrimination is perceived as a normal and fatal;6) no discussions on gender equality;7) widely spreaded misinterpretation of nature of gendered

processes and its impact on women and men.


Argumentation based on statistical data and sample

surveys (2)1) average life expectancy of men is more than 10 years shorter that that of

women;2) men’s shorter life is connected with risk behaviour, hard work, stress

and social pressure to male breadwinner model;3) women suffer due to small children and insecurity in labour market;4) men have higher paid jobs, more power and more opportunities to

influence processes in whole society or in their workplace;5) women have less authority and opportunities;6) society accepts this abnormal situation and perceives it as a normal;7) in average, women’s wages are 25% lower compared with men;8) problems with combining work and family life is not acknowledged.


Argumentation by co-rapporteur

Argumentation can be seen in two different branchesattitudinal arguments economic arguments


Gender equality discourse (developed by MPs)

1. Unique and exceptional Estonia (‘gender equality does not fit to

Estonian society and culture’)2. Natural women (‘performing their

roles dedicated to them by nature’)3. Poor men! Creatures! (‘men live short and stressful life in

Estonia and need protection’)


‘Poor men’ discourseMen are harassed due to sex‘Poor short men’ and physically ‘huge women’I am deeply grateful that this bill also avoids unequal treatment of these ‘poor men’. […] Why to call this doc a bill, not a declaration?


BlamingMale MP is blaming that too much

information about women’s low status and too little about the bill. ‘In fact, poor men […]’

MP: ‘To what kind of equality do you agitate us?’

Co-rapporteur: ‘I agitate you to understand causes of poor situation of men…’


Chilton and Schäffner: Discourse and politics

Political text and strategic functionCoercion (positioning self and others etc)Resistance, oppression and protestDissimulation (control of information, verbal evasion, blurring)Legitimization Delegitimization (blaming, accusing)


MP as spindoctorsParty politics and decisions are stronger than personal opinionEntrepreneurs afraid regulations, request to parties Dissimulation Speaking about details, looking for extreme examples Threat that when gender equality is forced by law, women

loose men’s attention and politeness Blurring MPs asked how to guarantee gender equality in supervisory

body (‘will you divide people, somebody with double-head, may be bisexuals needed? …’)


Symbolic interactionismHumans act toward people and things based upon the meanings that they have given to those people or thingsLanguage gives humans a means by which to negotiate meaning through symbolsThought modifies each individual's interpretation of symbols


Research questions (arrival)

What about research journey (departure and arrival)?How to deal with emotions and ‘small talk’?How to study shorthand reports? How could sociologists analyse texts as accompanying or explanatory note to draft law?How MPs ‘fit’ to elite?How Estonia ‘fits’ to Europe?How Estonia ‘fits’ to EU?What is post-communist gender?

THANK YOU!

Anu Laas, [email protected] of Gender Studies

University of TartuTiigi 78, 50410 Tartu, ESTONIA

IMPORTED AND NON-OURS

Documents

Transcript of IMPORTED AND NON-OURS