Full Description
This incisive book explores the experiences of women in Southeast Europe as they navigate the political landscape within parliaments, local councils, cantonal assemblies and political parties. Expert authors adopt an intersectional and human rights based analytical framework to examine why the presence of women in political institutions does not always translate into substantive representation.
Chapters investigate deep-rooted patriarchal norms, power relations, party control, social media dynamics and intersectional inequalities across local, national, party and online spaces. Country-specific case studies reflect how historical legacies, post-socialist transformations and gender quotas have shaped women's political participation. Overall, the book demonstrates that true equality requires profound cultural change, stronger democratic institutions and a long-term commitment to gender-sensitive politics.
Women's Representation in Southeast European Politics is a crucial resource for scholars and students of gender studies, feminist political theory, political science, European studies, and sociology. It will also benefit policymakers, international organizations and NGOs interested in deepening their understanding of gender equality, due to its insights into designing gender-sensitive reforms, developing advocacy strategies and improving institutional frameworks.
Contents
Contents
PART I INTRODUCTION
Mapping women's political representation in Southeast Europe:
Legacies, reforms and struggles 2
Marsela Dauti, Milica Antić Gaber and Lilijana Čičkarić
PART II WOMEN'S REPRESENTATION IN NATIONAL
PARLIAMENTS: ACTORS, ACTIONS, AND OUTCOMES
1 Between politics of ideas and politics of presence: Women in
the parliamentary democracy in Kosovo 19
Vjollca Krasniqi and Lirije Palushi
2 Insiders or outsiders: The Women's Parliamentary Network in
Serbia 41
Lilijana Čičkarić
3 Gendered power structures and women's lived experiences in
the Slovenian parliament 62
Jure Skubic and Milica Antić Gaber
4 Women's political representation in Montenegro: From reform
to inequality 82
Nikoleta Đukanović and Milica Kovač Orlandić
PART III CHALLENGES OF WOMEN'S REPRESENTATION
IN CANTONS AND LOCAL COUNCILS
5 Breaking barriers: women's policy and advocacy initiatives in
the local councils of Albania 103
Marsela Dauti
6 The political representation of women in Cantons of the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 122
Tajma Kapić
7 Political participation of women in the local councils in North
Macedonia: going beyond numbers 141
Tania Ivanova
PART IV POLITICAL PARTIES AND SOCIAL MEDIA
THROUGH THE LENS OF GENDER EQUALITY
8 Gender (in)equality in Croatian parliamentary parties' statutes 163
Marjeta Šinko
9 Political (self-)representation of women MPs on Facebook:
what comes first in Republika Srpska's Srpska First? 182
Zlatiborka Popov Momčinović and Vuk Vučetić
PART V INTERSECTIONAL AND CROSS-NATIONAL
PERSPECTIVES
10 Looking from the outside in: An intersectional perspective of
political participation in SEE countries through the prism of
the CEDAW Committee 203
Biljana Kotevska
11 Looking beyond numbers: How gender-sensitive are
parliaments in Southeast Europe? 219
Amila Ždralović
PART VI CONCLUSION
12 Looking ahead: Lessons and pathways for women's political
representation in Southeast Europe 241
Milica Antić Gaber, Marsela Dauti and Lilijana Čičkarić
