91
Åbo Akademi University 2014/2015
ÅBO CAMPUS
Nordic Perspectives on Gender, Equality and
Welfare
385236.0
10 credits
Intermediate/Advanced level
Lectured course
Offered: Autumn 2014
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of feminist thoughts and
concepts
Lecturers: Harriet Silius, et al.
Contents: A generous social welfare state as a foundational
element for gender equality is an important part of the
self-imaging of the Nordic countries. A state policy, social
democratic politics, strong unions and a tradition of equality
in educationhave, nodoubt, contributed to the establishment
of the so called "Nordic model". Although this is still part of
the official rhetoric, feminists, gender researchers and queer
theorists have started questioning the explicit and implicit
normative aspects of the arrangement. The course outlines
the establishment of the Nordic welfare state thorough poli-
tics, state intervention/policy, and ideology, and addresses
contemporary critical gender issues. Issues fromall the Nordic
countries will be discussed. Comparative analysis and trans-
national perspectives are encouraged throughout the course.
Learningoutcomes: The course aims towiden theunderstand-
ing of the welfare state and Nordic feminism by juxtaposing
conflicting views on the positive and negative effects of the so
called Nordicmodel. After the course, the student will be able
to understand and identify key features of the Nordic welfare
state and its historical, political and ideological foundations
in relation to gender: work, heath, political power, et cetera.
Teaching methods: Lectures form the core of the course.
Lectures are thematic and active participation will require
students to prepare by reading assigned literature in advance.
Detailed reading instructions and questions will be provided
in a study handbook. Seminars will be arranged around key
theoretical texts so that students can bring in different per-
spectives on the material.
Examination: Students will complete an essay on a theme in
connection to the course. The essays can be connected to
an area of special interest for the student, or chosen from a
number of questions prepared by the teachers.
Students: The students are expected to be 1) advanced stu-
dents in Women's Studies, or 2) connected to the recently
established EGALES-cooperation between Women's Studies
inÅbo and theUniversité Lumière de Lyon 2, or 3) participants
in the Master's Program in Nordic Studies or in other English-
speaking ÅA-Master's programmes.
Course literature:
1. Critical studies of gender equalities: Nordic dislocations,
dilemmas and contradictions, editedby EvaMagnusson, Malin
Rönnblom and Harriet Silius. Gothenburg, Makadam, 2008
2. Gender equality and welfare politics in Scandinavia : The
limits of political ambition? Edited by Kari Melby, Christina
Carlsson Wetterberg, Anna-Birte Ravn. Bristol, Policy Press,
2008.
3. The Discursive Politics of Gender Equality. Emanuela Lom-
bardo, Petra Meier, Mieke Verloo, Routledge, 2009.
Thematic studies connected to MA thesis
358308.0
10 credits
Advanced level
Self-study course
Offered: Autumn 2014 and spring 2015
Lecturer: Harriet Silius
Prerequisites: Introductory knowledge of Women's/Gender
Studies.
Contents: Thematic course that helps the student to acquaint
with earlier research on the specific field of the student's
Master's Thesis.
Learning outcomes: The student learns to seek, evaluate and
analyse earlier studies and research material that is relevant
to the student's Master's Thesis. The student learns to acquire
knowledge from a broad range of academic texts, to acquire
understanding of key themes in the specific field of the Mas-
ter's Thesis, and to write an own scientific text in which the
student analyses and discusses earlier studies.
Teachingmethods: A specific reading list related to the theme
of the student's Master's Thesis will be compiled with the
teacher. The student writes an essay that includes discussion.
Thesis seminar
385305.0
5+ 5 credits
Advanced level
Seminar
Offered: Autumn 2014 and spring 2015
Lecturer: Harriet Silius
Prerequisites: Introductory knowledge of Women's/Gender
Studies.
Contents: A seminar in which students' own texts are dis-
cussed.
Learning outcomes: The student learns to formulate research
questions and to conduct an own research process. The stu-
dent learns towrite scientifically, to discuss the students' own
and others' texts constructively, to present research questions
and arguments both orally and in written form, and to reflect
on theoretical, methodological and ethical questions related
to scientific research.
Teaching methods: Discussion of the seminar participants'
texts, exercises in scientific writing, presentations.
Formof assessment: The student writes a scientific text related
to the Master's Thesis.
Target audience: Students whowork on their Master's Theses.
Course literature: Decided with the teacher according to the
theme of the Master's Thesis. Major theoretical perspectives
within Gender Studies and postcolonial feminist theory are
made familiar through a study of texts. One thematic field
(health, poverty, education, democracy) will be studiedmore
thoroughly by each student through a case study project.
Learning outcomes: After the course the student has the
ability to critically analyze the meaning of gender in the dif-
ferent lines of development thinking and in development
co-operation practices. The students can understand and
identify differences between various theories on gender, as
well as diversities in gender systems in different contexts.
Learning methods: Reading, video lectures, on-line discus-
sions in teams, case study. Internet platform to be used:
Moodle.
Internet culture and gender
385121.0
5 credits
Basic/Intermediate level
Lectured course
Offered: Spring 2015
Teacher: Ann-Charlotte Palmgren, PhD (
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of feminist thoughts and
concepts
Contents: Online participants, like the researchers who study
them, present a range of views about the significance of
