Gender, Capitalism and Economic Crisis: Impact and Responses

Abstract

The economic crisis is gendered in terms of its causes, impact and responses. A feminist critique of the recent economic crisis highlights the contributory role played by the dominant masculine norms entrenched in capitalism and a lack of women and (gender-) democracy within work organisations. This article reviews and takes forward the feminist critique of causes of the capitalist crisis and its subsequent gendered impact, particularly in terms of employment. It provides a gendered interdisciplinary analysis of the crisis by means of empirical examples from the United Kingdom and Germany. It assesses whether states' responses to the crisis have re-gendered the organisation of capitalism in Europe and shows that policy reforms and budgetary responses have failed to improve gender equality. At best they perpetuate existing gender equalities; at worst they have led to a reversal of gender equality gains.