30. Navigating Gender, Identity, and Care: Policies and Politics in European Welfare Systems

Danislava Marinova (Autonomous University of Barcelona)
Pia S. Schober (University of Tübingen)
Cassandra Engeman (Stockholm University)
Heejung Chung (King’s College London)
Stephan Köppe (University College Dublin)
Hannah Zagel (TU Dortmund University and WZB Berlin Social Science Center)

Over the past decades, European welfare states have undergone a profound gender revolution. However, progress has slowed, and in some areas, it has stalled. Despite significant advancements—such as the expansion of gender-conscious parental leave and pension policies—persistent inequalities remain, particularly in the division of paid and unpaid labor. Furthermore, policy domains have evolved unevenly: while work-family policies have gained traction, gender remains less central in areas such as reproductive policies, health services, and migration policy. This stream hosts research at the intersection of gender, care policies, and political debates in European welfare states, exploring how policies either reinforce or challenge gendered practices, norms, and expectations.

One of the central challenges to gender equality remains the unequal distribution of caregiving responsibilities. Recent policy initiatives have increasingly sought to encourage men’s involvement in caregiving—not only for children but also for aging parents, spouses, and other dependents. The EU Work-Life Balance Directive introduces new incentives that reshape men’s caregiving roles, offering a unique opportunity to assess its impact both within and beyond the EU. This stream invites papers exploring how policy instruments—such as non-transferable, well-paid parental leave for fathers, carers' leave, and flexible work arrangements—affect caregiving behavior, labor market outcomes, and broader family dynamics. 

Beyond statutory policies, workplace norms and organizational cultures also shape caregiving behaviors. Even when formal policies exist, workplace expectations and career penalties may discourage men from assuming caregiving roles. We welcome research examining how workplace practices facilitate or hinder the redistribution of care, as well as the consequences for labor market outcomes, gender norms, and workplace discrimination. 

Efforts to promote gender equality through policy often generate controversy. In many countries, institutional measures such as gender quotas in leadership, language regulations, and reproductive care services have become politically contentious. Similarly, policies challenging traditional caregiving roles—particularly those targeting men—have sparked debate. We seek contributions that explore the political and societal dynamics surrounding these issues, including what drives polarized debates and how political actors and institutions can reduce the risk of broader social and political polarization. Analyses of the role played by international organizations, such as the EU and the ILO, in shaping gender equality and diversity policies, are also encouraged. 

As gender policy research evolves, questioning assumptions of cisnormativity and heteronormativity becomes increasingly important. How can we better capture diverse gender identities, gender modularity, sexual orientations, and family structures in both qualitative and quantitative research? Large-scale surveys, for example, face challenges in measuring gender identity and sexual orientation, while studies on caregiving policies must account for diverse family forms, including same-sex couples, cohabiting partners, and single-parent households. We welcome contributions addressing these methodological challenges and incorporating intersectional perspectives into the study of gender and welfare states. 

We strongly encourage comparative papers on these topics but also welcome single-country studies, particularly those employing quasi-experimental or natural experimental designs. We seek a diverse mix of conceptual, methodological, and empirical papers from different disciplines, including both qualitative and quantitative contributions.