Gender and politics research in Europe: towards a consolidation of a flourishing political science subfield?

• Published in: European political science Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 105 - 122
• Main Authors: Ahrens, Petra, Erzeel, Silvia, Evans, Elizabeth, Kantola, Johanna, Kuhar, Roman, Lombardo, Emanuela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Palgrave Macmillan UK 01.03.2021; Palgrave Macmillan
• Subjects: Academic disciplines; Comparative Politics; Diversification; Feminism; Gender; Gender studies; Intersectionality; Marginality; Political Science; Political Science and International Relations; Political Science and International Studies; Political Theory; Politics; Professionalization; Segmentation; Special Issue; Europe; Academic knowledge; Anti-gender movement; Gender; Intersectionality; Political science; Sexuality
• ISSN: 1680-4333; 1682-0983
• DOI: 10.1057/s41304-020-00304-8

Over the past twenty years, the field of “gender and politics” has flourished in European political science. An example of this is the growing number of “gender and politics” scholars and the increased attention paid to gender perspectives in the study of the political. Against this backdrop, we take stock of how the “gender and politics” field has developed over the years. We argue that the field has now entered a stage of “consolidation”, which is reflected in the growth, diversification and professionalization of the subfield, as well as in the increased disciplinary recognition from major gatekeepers in political science. But while consolidation comes with specific opportunities, it also presents some key challenges. We identify five such challenges: (1) the potential fragmentation of the field; (2) persisting hierarchies in knowledge production; (3) the continued marginalization of feminist political analysis in “mainstream” political science; (4) the changing link between academia and society; and (5) growing opposition to gender studies in parts of Europe and beyond. We argue that both the “gender and politics” field and political science in general should address these challenges in order to become a truly inclusive discipline.