The economic crisis in Europe continues to have broad and far-reaching effects on all segments of society. Some groups, however, have been more affected than others. During a day-long conference on September 16 organized by the School of Public Policy and the Center for Policy Studies at CEU, academics, practitioners, and activitists explored the gendered impacts of the crisis.
One of the themes that emerged during the conference related to the enormous differences in how women have been affected by the austerity measures that have been implemented throughout Europe. How women have experienced these cutbacks depends on a number of factors including where they live, their social and economic status, and their race. In her presentation on “White ignorance and women of color’s anti-austerity activism in Europe,” Akwugo Emejulu argued that austerity reinforces the racial contract of white supremacy. “Race is always present in these politics,” said Emejulu, “particularly in relation to enactments and defences of whiteness.”
CEU Gender Studies Professor Eva Fodor remarked on the regional differences between eastern and western Europe. She noted that women in western Europe did not suffer as much as men did when the crisis broke out in 2007, while in eastern Europe “everyone was losing out.” “Has the financial crisis given more meaning to regional differences?” asked Fodor. There was broad agreement that it had. SPP Acting Dean and Professor of Comparative Politics Julia Buxton noted that the differences among women extend far beyond Europe and “cannot be adequately captured through the European experience.”
Buxton commented also that as politics in Europe have shifted to the right so too have the politics and attitudes of many women. She stressed also that ideas were needed about how to “reconnect with those who are disconnected,” noting that “so many voices have not been listened to.”
One of the topics on which participants did not agree was the importance and success of the EU. Sylvia Walby, who gave the keynote address that opened the conference, described the EU as “a project for peace” and the “most significant polity in the world for gender equality.” Emejulu, on the other hand, said that “the EU had failed and brought misery to millions of people.” She went on to note that the recent Brexit vote was just the most recent indication that people “want to be governed differently.” “The EU,” she said, “must change.”
Reflecting on the conference, co-organizer Center for Policy Studies Research Fellow Andrea Krizsan commented, “While discussions could be characterized by a critical tone directed at European institutions, states, and democracy, new forms of resistance within the context of the crisis coming particularly from women's groups and other social movements emerged as important promises for a renewed European democratic arena. A mix of academic and activist participants made debates particularly lively and engaging.”
About the conference
Mieke Verloo (Radboud University, Nijmegen) chaired a panel on Modes of Gendered Resilience to the Crisis that included presentations on feminist protests in Romania (Oana Baluta, University of Bucharest), Spain (Laura Sales Gutierrez), and Hungary (Judit Wirth).
Wendy Stokes (London, Metropolitan University) chaired the panel on The Economic Crisis in Europe that featured presentations on gender and the political dimension of the economic crisis in Europe (Emanuela Lombardo, Complutense University Madrid), austerity and gender in Central and Eastern Europe (Eva Fodor, CEU), and a research agenda on policy backlash across inequality groups in the context of the crisis (Joanna Kostka, Andrea Krizsan, and Violetta Zentai, CEU).
Elissa Helms (CEU) chaired the panel on Going Beyond Economic Aspects of the Crisis. It included presentations on crises and challenges to gender equality in right-wing populist politics (Ov Cristian Norocel, University of Helsinki and Uppsala University), the threat of the gender ideology in the context of the economic crisis (Roman Kuhar, University of Ljubljana), and the impact of the economic crisis politics on gender+ equality and democracy (Mieke Verloo, Radboud University).