Full Description
The full impact of austerity policies across Europe is still being assessed, but it is clear that their gendered impacts have been consistently severe, structural and manifold. They have also been, until now, under-researched and under-estimated.
This book brings together the research of leading feminist economists in the area of gender and austerity economics to perform a rigorous gender-impact analysis both at national and pan-European levels. The chapters not only offer thorough evidence for the detrimental gender-impact of austerity policies across Europe, but they also provide readers with concrete suggestions of alternative policies that national governments and the European Union should adopt. With a combination of country case studies and cross-country empirical analysis, this book reveals the scope and channels through which women and men have been impacted by austerity policies in Europe, and goes on to offer readers the opportunity to assess the feasibility and implications of a feminist alternative to continued austerity.
This book will be invaluable to social science students and researchers, as well to as policy-makers searching not just for a Plan B to continued austerity policies but for a Plan F - a feminist economic strategy to stimulate sustainable economic recovery.
Contents
Table of contents
List of figures
List of tables
Foreword. Zita Gurmai
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
INTRODUCTION
Austerity and after: the case for a gender approach. Hannah Bargawi, Giovanni Cozzi and Susan Himmelweit.
PART 1. Theorising on gender, austerity and policy alternatives
A gender equitable macroeconomic framework for Europe. Diane Elson
A feminist alternative to austerity: the purple economy as a gender egalitarian strategy for employment. Ipek Ilkkaracan
The role of gender equality in an equality-led sustainable development strategy. Özlem Onaran
PART 2. Case studies on the impact of austerity policies on women and men
Crisis, policy responses and gender: the Italian experience. Giovanna Vertova
Gender equality and economic crisis: Ireland and the EU. Ursula Barry
The effects of the economic crisis and austerity on gender equality in Spain and the Spanish regions. Elvira González Gago
The gender impact of austerity in the UK under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, 2010-15. Howard Reed
PART 3. Alternative policies, the role of social infrastructure and the care economy
Making the case for a gender-aware, investment led-recovery for Europe. Hannah Bargawi and Giovanni Cozzi
A European gendered investment plan with formal childcare as a cornerstone. Lars Andersen and Signe Dahl
Costing a feminist plan for a caring economy: the case of free universal childcare in the UK. Jerome De Henau
CONCLUSIONExplaining austerity and its gender impact. Susan Himmelweit.
