Abstract
Although gender inequalities are the main social mechanisms behind the (re)production of domestic violence, policy responses to domestic violence as a gender-related problem vary at both the national and transnational levels. This article examines the interaction between national and transnational policies against domestic violence, focusing on how domestic violence is constructed as a gender-related problem in Finland, a Nordic welfare state that is often cited as a role model in gender equality. Using the conception of policies as historically changing and culturally specific discourses, this article offers an overview of the ways in which the perspective on domestic violence of the transnational feminist movement has been engaged and transformed in the Finnish context over the five last decades. It is shown that transnational pressure has played a critical role in pushing Finland towards a stronger recognition of domestic violence as a gender issue. However, this transformation has taken place rather within the framework of more neutral “women-friendly” welfare policies than within a feminist framework. The article concludes that the Finnish way of translating transnational norms to the national level is characterized by a tendency to modify the transformative meanings underpinning the transnational feminist discourses to a more gender-neutral form.
Highlights
This article takes Finland as an illustrative case study of a Nordic-style “women-friendly” welfare state with obvious shortcomings in responding to violence against women
In order to give a comprehensive overview of Finnish policy development as it relates to gender equality, I draw on the conceptualizations used by Andrea Krizsan and Raluca Maria Popa [5] in their research on domestic violence (DV) policies in the Central and Eastern European countries
It is possible that the idealist notion of Finland as a pioneer in the field of gender equality and the belief that gender equality has already been achieved have paradoxically made it difficult to address the remaining gender inequalities, such as men’s violence against women [21]
Summary
This article takes Finland as an illustrative case study of a Nordic-style “women-friendly” welfare state with obvious shortcomings in responding to violence against women. The translation of transnational norms on DV to national levels may stretch the gender equality ideas underpinning those norms to more gain their endorsement by mainstream policy actors, and may result in policies constructed in degendered terms. In this way, local approaches to the issue of gender inequality influence how transnational DV discourses become locally appropriated, stretched, shrunk or opposed [15]. Compared to the previous research, this article addresses the development of Finnish DV policies more comprehensively by exploring a longer time period and viewing DV policy development from the wider perspective of interaction between the national and transnational levels
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
