Does it Matter Where She Lives? : An Analysis of the Relationship Between Welfare State Models and Gender Equality in Europe

This thesis investigates the relationship between different welfare models and the realisation of gender equality in European states. Despite the European level legislation that should ensure the equal treatment of women in many areas of life, levels of gender equality vary in states across Europe. The research question of this thesis addresses the effects of welfare state models upon the differential realisation of gender equality across a range of social, economic and political indicators. The thesis relies upon a theoretical and empirical element. Chapters 1 and 2 address the literature and theory on both gender equality, and European welfare state models. Both concepts are defined and their theoretical relationship is addressed from both mainstream and feminist viewpoints. This research adopts and describes a theoretical framework based upon a modified version of G0sta Esping-Andersens typology of welfare models, incorporating a fourth group - the Mediterranean states. Chapter 3 outlines and performs a comparative analysis of the relationship between gender equality in Europe, and the welfare models in question. Statistical data on 11 indicators of gender equality is collected and analysed. These indicators address a range of aspects relevant to gender equality, focusing on labour market situation, educational achievement, parental employment support and political participation and representation. A statistical model is built to rank the states and welfare models by their relative performance according to these metrics. In Chapter 4 these results are analysed, and seen to confirm a number of the hypotheses drawn from the theory. Similar welfare models appear to affect gender equality similarly - i.e. forming clusters. These clusters also exhibit differences between them, implying that welfare models do affect gender equality in determinate ways. Furthermore these differences are observed to be broadly similar to those proposed in the literature. Social Democratic states ameliorate gender inequalities most effectively, with other models achieving less in this regard. The conclusions also identify limitations in the theory however, indicating that the Mediterranean welfare model is less coherent than assumed, but apparently more effective in addressing gender equality than was expected