To kickstart a new round of blogs in the Gendering Democracy series, Paloma Caravantes, Laura Eigenmann and Francesca Feo recap the discussion so far, explaining why we need to keep gender at the centre of research on the politics of our time – and where we should go next
Back in 2023, Andrea Krizsán and Conny Roggeband launched this 🌈 series to foster a conversation about how it is essential to view democracy through a gendered lens to understand contemporary processes of democratic erosion. These dynamics unfold not only in authoritarian regimes that present themselves as guardians of patriarchal norms, but also in so-called consolidated democracies, where sexism, misogyny, and opposition to gender equality and LGBTIQ+ rights simmer beneath the surface and are increasingly espoused by illiberal governments.
Many contributions have illuminated these troubling trends, from analyses of autocratisation and gender-based violence to political representation. They also highlight the critical tools that feminist scholarship and activism can offer to resist democratic backsliding and the rollback of gender equality and minority rights.
Under Conny and Andrea's leadership, the blog has become an important space for accessible scholarship. Contributions have connected many threads to provide a broader picture of the complex way gender plays out as a contentious field in contemporary politics. We thank them for their stewardship, and for making this debate possible, and accessible, for many voices.
Contributions to this series have connected many threads to provide a broader picture of the complex way gender plays out as a contentious field in contemporary politics
As the new series editors, we embrace this strong foundation and are committed to upholding its standards of clarity, relevance, and critical engagement. We also aim to expand the series' horizons.
Since the series launched, democratic backsliding has only intensified, and women’s and LGBTQI+ rights have come under renewed attack. In many places, we are witnessing regressions that many of us thought were safely confined to the past. This resurgence of patriarchal and anti-gender politics makes one thing clear: we cannot understand – or sustain – democratic processes unless we examine them with a gendered perspective.
In many places around the world, we are witnessing regressions that many of us thought were safely confined to the past
Gender is not an add-on to democratic politics; it is one of its core dimensions. Who gets to participate? Whose rights are protected? Whose bodies politicised? These questions are central to the meaning and quality of democracy itself.
As we navigate these challenging realities, we would like to orient our editorial approach along three main directions:
ECPR — Europe’s flagship association for political science — remains committed to advancing research in the discipline. We seek to deepen dialogue across fields, inviting contributions from sociology, anthropology, history, and cultural studies. Transformations concerning gender and sexuality often occur at the micro-level – in cultural practices, or everyday life – yet have profound political consequences. Historical perspectives can help us see how current backlashes may echo past cycles, offering a better understanding of today’s crises.
This may sound oxymoronic for a blog series called gendering democracy. Yet, we will broaden the series' scope beyond gender to include sexuality, class, racial and ethnic identities, ableism, and their intersections more systematically. These systems of power are deeply intertwined, and their backlashes mutually reinforcing. Rather than treating these dimensions as mere extensions of gender, we seek to decentre gender. By so doing, we will give space to research that aims to understand democracy through a truly intersectional perspective.
Under our editorship, this series will broaden its scope beyond gender to include sexuality, class, racial and ethnic identities, ableism, and their intersections
While acknowledging the gravity of current backlashes, we also want to create space for stories of progress and resilience. Polarisation has intensified, but it has also galvanised new forms of activism and solidarity. Public opinion on gender and sexuality has grown more progressive in many contexts as a result of feminist and social justice movements' struggles, and everyday acts of resistance – in workplaces, families, and communities – are reshaping social and institutional norms. Recognising these dynamics is vital, because they reflect the persistent work of actors pushing for progressive change.
We are also eager to explore new questions arising in increasingly gender-equal societies. What does it mean to study democracy when some societies have come closer than ever to gender equality benchmarks? Which challenges and unexpected developments emerge in these contexts – from new forms of masculinities and the crisis of hegemonic ones, to new forms of solidarity and backlash? These are among the issues we hope to highlight.
We warmly invite scholars – established and early-career – to pitch contributions. We are especially keen to hear from researchers in the Global South, and from those exploring intersectional and decolonial perspectives on gender, sexuality, and democracy.
Perhaps your work examines the erosion of democratic norms, the persistence of patriarchy and how it still holds the upper hand in many different spheres and contexts. Or perhaps it investigates the many ways in which gender, sexuality, and other identities shape everyday life, political behaviour – and, in turn, influence democratic practices. Whatever your area of research, we welcome your insights.
Do you have an idea you are eager to share? A story, a concept, or a perspective that can help us rethink democracy through the lens of gender and beyond? This is your space. Join the conversation, challenge assumptions, and share your voice with The Loop’s Gendering Democracy community.
