AbstractsLanguage, Literature & Linguistics

Gender and Development; - a Discourse Analysis of Danida's 2014 Strategy Report on Gender Equality

by Mie Nielsen




Institution: Roskilde University
Department:
Year: 2015
Keywords: Discourse; Laclau; Mouffe; Danida; Gender; Women; Men; Butler; Jørgensen; Phillips; Ouewumi; Nnaemeka; Hegemony; Moment; Articulation
Posted: 02/05/2017
Record ID: 2106132
Full text PDF: http://rudar.ruc.dk/handle/1800/24026


Abstract

This project investigates how the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) articulates and understand gender in the ‘Strategic framework for gender equality, rights and diversity in Danish development cooperation’. The project is based on the discourse theory by Ernesto Laclau & Chantal Mouffe, and is situated within a poststructuralist frame. For the analysis the project is aided by Louise J. Phillips & Marianne Jørgensen in creating a strategy of analysis as well as a methodology. The project puts forth its criteria for validation as transparency and methodological consistency. The project finds that gender is binary with certain characteristics applied to each gender, it further finds that although gender is said to be understood as a cultural and social construction, the articulation by Danida does not fully support this notion. The project finds that discourses and articulations excluded by the discourses found in Danida encompasses notions of non-binary gender understandings and non or other characteristics given to each gender. Advisors/Committee Members: Folke Frederiksen, Bodil (advisor).