Genussystemets uttryck inom den exekutiva makten - En studie av svensk ministerpostfördelning sedan 1946

By studying portfolio allocation in Swedish national government since 1946 the author is trying to answer the question if the executive power is characterized by a gender system. In Sweden, gender equality levels are high and women’s entry to the executive branch was internationally ground breaking, making it unlikely that a gender system is in place. The study draws upon Hirdman’s theory of gender systems and uses descriptive statistical analysis with the aim to find the expression of dichotomy and hierarchy within the portfolio allocation. The findings show a clear divide between which portfolios men and women possesses, where men are overrepresented within the masculine and neutral portfolios and where women are overrepresented within the feminine portfolios. Hierarchy is partly found within the high valued portfolios, where the most valuable portfolios are characterized by women’s absent. No clear differences could be found in the qualifications of male and female ministers with high valued portfolios. Furthermore the study evaluates the power relationships within the 29 cabinets from Prime Minister Erlander to Löfven, using Gender Power Score and women’s ratio of the total weight of the cabinet’s portfolios as measurements. In all cases but one a male dominance was found within the cabinets’ power relations