Axe de recherche 5. Gender and Europe (Nineteenth–Twenty-First Century)

Whether Europe is considered as an imagined or political space, a market, or a cultural zone, gender relations have been a central component in defining this space marked by shifting borders. We work jointly on gender and Europe, including the actors involved in European integration, the effect this integration has had on gender equality, and more generally on how women and men have lived in Europe. Women’s and gender history have now taken their rightful place in our research unit, and are structured around the following three aspects:1. Citizenship, Feminism, AntifeminismSince their origins in the late eighteenth century, feminisms in Europe have formulated a broad range of demands in order to obtain greater gender equality. Hostile reactions emerged, and have been theorized in the form of antifeminism. We use an intersectional approach to examine the links between antifeminism, racism, anti-Semitism, and anti-Europeanism.2. Family, Demographics, Politics, and IntimacyGender is central to demographics and family policies, as demonstrated by the long-accepted assumption that the family sphere was women’s responsibility, a situation that is tending to change today. Conversely, the migrations that for a long time involved chiefly men—especially for work—today increasingly involve women as well. This research explores the role of gender in demographics and public policies, relations to the body, and discourses and practices of sexuality, including what are deemed to be its marginal forms.3. War, Violence, and SexualitiesWar is far from being an exclusively male affair. We focus on violence as being revelatory of unequal gender relations, whether this involves violence within couples, or sexual violence used in times of conflict. By affecting both the rear and the front, wars give rise to new regulations of sexuality that temporarily disrupt the gender order. Some of the violence committed in this context can extend to ensuing generations. You can follow our activities in the Gender & Europe notebook > https://genreurope.hypotheses.org/