Academy of Finland Research Fellow (Akatemiatutkija): Feminized Actors or Masculine Institutions? Gender, Power and Political Parties in Finland

The aim of my Academic Research Fellow (2012-2017) project is to provide the first-ever in depth analysis of political parties in Finland from a gender perspective. By providing unique insights into the practices, norms, institutions and policies of political parties from a gender perspective, the project sheds light on gendered power structures in a country where gender equality is commonly thought to be achieved, especially in the field of politics.

The key objectives of the research include documenting women and men’s political representation in six parties (National Coalition Party, Social Democrats, Centre Party, The Finns, Green Party, and Left Alliance); mapping out and comparing and contrasting the political careers of women and men; investigating the formal and informal party institutions from the point of view of gendered power structures; analyzing the institutional spaces for political action that the parties offer for women and feminist political action; undertaking a detailed content analysis of party policies on gender in relation to four key areas (representation, violence, reconciling work and family, and multiculturalism and diversity); and analyzing the political parties’ gender politics in the context of transnational influence of the European Union (EU).