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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. Research questions (departure). How is gender (in)equality perceived among elite (MPs)?

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IMPORTED AND NON-OURS

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  1. 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

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

  3. Background studies on equality discourse • Rönnblom, cited in Magnusson E (1999). GED • PoulsenH(2002). GED in ILO • SchmidtV (2002). GM in E. Commission • Woodward A (2002). GM – a confusing term Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  4. Theoretical framework • Burr V (1995). Social constructionism • Spector M & Kitsuse J L (1977). Constructing social problems • Chilton P and Schäffner C (1997). Discourse and Politics • Blumer H (1989). Symbolic Interactionism Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  5. Background • Estonia has joined international conventions (UN, ILO) • 1996, Equality Bureau at the Ministry of Social Affairs was established • Estonia is harmonising legislation with the EU Acquis Communitaure • Gender Equality Bill is not adopted, discrimination is not legally defined Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  6. Public opinion about gender equality, % (June 2002, Ariko Marketing, N=1000) Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  7. Shorthand reports 4 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) Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  8. Readings of 2 different draft laws • SR1 - Gender Equality Bill (927 SE), the first reading, 7424 words • SR2 - Gender Equality Bill (927 SE II), the second reading, 11026 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, 4658 words Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  9. Studying shorthand reports • Two types of shorthand reports: • unedited (used for research) • edited versions • Texts: presentations, explanatory notes, speeches • Discussions and questions-answers (conversations) Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  10. Shortgomings • Stenographers do not make transcription in a way as social scientists and lingvists do • Texts from shorthand reports lack voice, pauses, emotions • Pure text gives on what was uttered on a basis of dictum and analyst can be in troubles to guess about implication • Ethnographic study? Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

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

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

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

  14. Argumentation by co-rapporteur Argumentation can be seen in two different branches • attitudinal arguments • economic arguments Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  15. Gender equality discourse (developed by MPs) • 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’) Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  16. ‘Poor men’ discourse • Men 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? Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  17. Blaming Male 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…’ Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  18. Chilton and Schäffner: Discourse and politics Political text and strategic function • Coercion (positioning self and others etc) • Resistance, oppression and protest • Dissimulation (control of information, verbal evasion, blurring) • Legitimization • Delegitimization (blaming, accusing) Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  19. MP as spindoctors • Party politics and decisions are stronger than personal opinion • Entrepreneurs 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? …’) Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  20. Symbolic interactionism • Humans act toward people and things based upon the meanings that they have given to those people or things • Language gives humans a means by which to negotiate meaning through symbols • Thought modifies each individual's interpretation of symbols Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  21. 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? Anu Laas, 2003 www.zone.ee/sociology/eng

  22. THANK YOU! Anu Laas, laas@ut.ee Unit of Gender Studies University of Tartu Tiigi 78, 50410 Tartu, ESTONIA

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