Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Visibility (and Invisibility) of Women and Gender in Parliamentary Discourse During the Portuguese Economic Crisis (2008–2014)

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Gender and the Economic Crisis in Europe

Part of the book series: Gender and Politics ((GAP))

Abstract

In Portugal, the economic crisis and austerity policies have significantly impacted the lives of both men and women, but research has shown that austerity driven measures adopted to alleviate the crisis have had disproportionally adverse consequences for women. This study investigates seven years of parliamentary debates on the economic crisis and austerity policies by combining Critical Discourse Analysis and framing analysis. Findings show that ‘women and gender’ as issues were neglected during the first four years of parliamentary discourse, but became a separate and relevant social category after 2012. The reality of the economic crisis created by MPs was narrowly constructed and based mostly on the discursive hegemony of economic impacts and economic victimization. While women had some discursive representation, they lacked substantive representation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Bibliography

  • Accornero, Guya, and Pedro Ramos Pinto. 2015. Mild Mannered’? Protest and Mobilisation in Portugal under Austerity, 2010–2013. West European Politics 38: 491–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Almeida, Clementina Pires. 2014. Violência doméstica na gravidez: consequências para o desenvolvimento do bebé no primeiro ano de vida. Doctoral Thesis, Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Coimbra. http://hdl.handle.net/10316/24299.

  • Amâncio, Lígia. “Género e divisão do trabalho doméstico: o caso português em perspectiva.” In Família e Género em Portugal e na Europa. Atitudes Sociais dos Portugueses, edited by Karin Wall et Lígia Amâncio, 181–210. Lisbon: Imprensa de Ciências Sociais, 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  • An, Seon-Kyoung, and Karla K. Gower. 2009. How do the news media frame crises? A content analysis of crisis news coverage. Public Relations Review 35: 107–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antunes, José António Pereira de Jesus. 2015. Crise económica, saúde e doença. Psicologia, Saúde & Doenças 16: 267–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armingeon, Klaus, and Lucio Baccaro. 2012. Political Economy of the Sovereign Debt Crisis: The Limits of Internal Devaluation. Industrial Law Journal 41: 254–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumgarten, Britta. 2013. Geração à Rasca and beyond: Mobilizations in Portugal after 12 March 2011. Current Sociology 61(2013): 457–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casaca, Sara Falcão. 2012. Mudanças laborais e relações de género: Novos vetores de (des)igualdade. Coimbra: Almedina.

    Google Scholar 

  • Celis, Karen, and Sarah Childs. 2014. Gender, conservatism and political representation. Essex: Ecpr Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chilton, Paul, and Christina Schäffner. 2002. Politics as Text and Talk: Analytic approaches to political discourse. Vol. 4. Philadelphia, PA: John Benjamins Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coombs, William Timothy, and Sherry Holladay. 2004. Reasoned Action in Crisis Communication: An Attribution Theory-Based Approach to Crisis Management. In Responding to Crisis Communication Approach to Crisis Communication, ed. D.P. Millar and R.L. Heath, 95–115. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa, Hermes Augusto. 2014. Transformações do trabalho e reacção sindical em Portugal em contexto de austeridade. Revista Politica & Trabalho 41: 45–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crompton, Rosemary, and Clare Lyonette. 2006. Work-life ‘balance’ in Europe. Acta Sociologica 49: 379–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunha, Vanessa. 2014. Parte I—Quatro décadas de declínio da fecundidade em Portugal. In Inquérito à Fecundidade 2013, ed. NE/FFMS, 19–28. Lisbon: INE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dryzek, John, and Simon Niemeyer. 2008. Discursive representation. American Political Science Review 102: 481–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte, Daniela Alexandra Oliveira. 2014. Impacto da crise no consumo das famílias. Master Thesis, Faculdade de Economia da Universidade de Coimbra.

    Google Scholar 

  • Espírito-Santo, Ana, and Marco Lisi. 2015. Quem representam e a quem obedecem: atitudes dos deputados portugueses antes e depois da crise. In Crise Económica, Políticas de Austeridade e Representação Política, ed. André Freire, Marco Lisi, and José Manuel Leite Viegas, 429–445. Lisbon: Colecção Parlamento.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fairclough, Norman. 2001. Language and power. London: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferree, Myra Marx, William Gamson, Jürgen Gerhards, and Dieter Rucht. 2002. Shaping Abortion Discourse: Democracy and the Public Sphere in Germany and the United States. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira, António Casimiro. 2011. A sociedade de austeridade: Poder, medo e direito do trabalho de exceção. Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais 95: 119–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira, Virginia, and Rosa Monteiro. 2015. Austeridade, emprego e regime de bem-estar em Portugal: Em processo de refamilização? ex æquo 32: 49–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira, Virgínia. Employment and austerity: changing welfare and gender regimes in Portugal. In Women and Austerity: The Economic Crisis and the Future for Gender Equality, edited by Maria Karamessini and Jill Rubery Vol.11, 207–227. New York: Routledge, 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, Michel. 1984. The Order of Discourse. In Language and Politics, ed. Michael Shapiro, 103–138. Cambridge: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forest, Maxime, and Emanuela Lombardo. 2012. The Europeanization of Gender Equality Policies: A Discursive-Sociological Approach. In The Europeanization of Gender Equality Policies, ed. Emanuela Lombardo and Maxime Forest, 1–27. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Freire, André, and Michael Baum. 2001. Partidos políticos, movimentos de cidadãos e referendos em Portugal: os casos do aborto e da regionalização. Análise Social 36: 9–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire, André. 2013. A democracia, a troika e as alternativas. In Troika Ano II—66 cidadãos avaliam a troika, ed. Eduardo Paz Ferreira, 69–86. Lisbon: Edições 70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire, André, Marco Lisi, and José Manuel Leite Viegas. 2015. Crise Económica, Políticas de Austeridade e Representação Política. Lisbon: Edição Assembleia da República.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerreiro, Maria das Dores. 2014. Family Policies in Portugal. In Handbook of Family Policies Across the Globe, ed. Mihaela Robila, 195–210. New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jalali, Carlos. 2007. Partidos e Democracia em Portugal 1974–2005. ICS: Lisbon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiménez, Antonia Ruiz. 2009. Women and Decision-making Participation Within Rightist Parties in Portugal and Spain. Análise Social 191: 235–263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karamessini, Maria, and Jill Rubery. 2014. Women and Austerity: The Economic Crisis and the Future for Gender Equality. Vol. 11. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karanikolos, Marina, et al. 2013. Financial Crisis, Austerity, and Health in Europe. The Lancet 381.9874: 1323–1331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krook, Mona Lena. 2010. Women’s representation in parliament: A qualitative comparative analysis. Political Studies 58: 886–908.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leite, Jorge, et al. 2014. Austeridade, reformas laborais e desvalorização do trabalho. In A economia política do retrocesso: crise, causas e objetivos, ed. Observatório sobre Crises e Alternativas, 127–188. Coimbra: Almedina/CES.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lima, Antónia Pedroso, ed. 2016. Care as a Factor for Sustainability in Situations of Crisis: Portugal between the Welfare State and Interpersonal Relationships. cadernos pagu 46: 79–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lisboa, Manuel, et al. 2006. Participação das mulheres nas elites políticas e económicas no Portugal democrático (25 de Abril 1974 a 2004). Revista da Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas 18: 163–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovenduski, Joni. 2007. Unfinished Business: Equality policy and the changing context of state feminism in Great Britain. In Changing State Feminism, ed. Joyce Outshoorn and Johanna Kantola, 144–163. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro, Rosa. 2011. A Política de Quotas em Portugal: O papel dos partidos políticos e do feminismo de Estado. Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais 92: 31–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro, Rosa, and Virgínia Ferreira. 2012. Metamorfoses das relações entre o Estado e os movimentos de mulheres em Portugal: entre a institucionalização e a autonomia. ex aequo 25: 13–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moury, Catherine and Adam Standring. 2015. Aren’t there any alternatives? Power and Discourse in Portuguese Austerity Politics. Paper Presented at the 111th Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, San Francisco, EUA, September 2015. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286869684_Is_there_no_alternative_Power_And_Discourse_In_Portuguese_Austerity_Politics

  • Natali, David, and Furio Stamati. 2014. Reassessing South European Pensions after the Crisis: Evidence from Two Decades of Reforms. South European Society and Politics 19: 309–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Negra, Diane, and Yvonne Tasker. 2014. Gendering the recession: Media and culture in an age of austerity. Duke: Duke University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Nunan, Carolina, and João Peixoto. 2012. Crise econômica e retorno dos imigrantes brasileiros em Portugal. REMHU, Revista Interdiscip. Mobilidade Humana 20: 233–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padilla, Beatriz, and Alejandra Ortiz. 2012. Fluxos imigratórios em Portugal: do boom migratório à desaceleração no contexto de crise. Balanços e desafios. Revista Interdisciplinar Mobilidade Humana 39: 159–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paleo, Natalia, and Alba Alonso. 2015. ¿Es solo una cuestión de austeridad? Crisis económica y políticas de género en España. Investigaciones Feministas 5: 36–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perista, Heloísa. 2002. Género e trabalho não pago: os tempos das mulheres e os tempos dos homens. Análise social 163: 447–474.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, Anne. 1995. The Politics of Presence. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, Louise, and Marianne Jørgensen. 2002. Discourse Analysis as Theory and Method. London: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Pitkin, Hanna Fenichel. 1967. The concept of representation. Los Angeles: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prata, Ana. 2012. Failure to launch?–The women’s movement struggle for abortion decriminalization in the Portuguese Parliament (1982). Ex aequo 25: 75–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos, Boaventura Sousa. 2011. Portugal: ensaio sobre a autoflagelação. Coimbra: Almedina.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saward, Micheal. 2006. The Representative Claim. Contemporary Political Theory 5: 297–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiffrin, Deborah, Deborah Tannen, and Heidi Hamilton. 2001. The Handbook of Discourse Analysis. Malden: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Serra, Filipa Maria de Almeida Ribeiro. 2014. Efeitos da crise económica na saúde mental: Portugal na União Europeia (2004–2012). Master Thesis, Faculdade de Economia da Universidade de Coimbra (FEUC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva, Mariana Vieira. 2012. Políticas públicas de saúde: tendências recentes. Sociologia, problemas e práticas 69: 121–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza, Juliana. 2015. O género da recessão: quando os modelos de gestão e as políticas económicas neoliberais definem as posições-de-sujeito das mulheres. Revista Lusófona de Estudos Culturais 3: 257–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teperoglou, Eftichia. 2014. André Freire, Ioannis Andreadis and José Manuel Leite Viegas. Elites’ and Voters’ Attitudes towards Austerity Policies and their Consequences in Greece and Portugal. South European Society and Politics 19: 457–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Dijk, Teun. 2001. Principles of Critical Discourse Analysis. In Discourse Theory and Practice, ed. Margaret Wetherall, Stephanie Taylor, and Simeon J. Yates, 300–317. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verge, Tânia and Ana Espírito-Santo. 2014. Interactions Between Party and Statutory Quotas: Gendered Political Recruitment After Quota Adoption in Portugal and Spain. In ECPR Joint Sessions of Workshops, Salamanca 10–15 April.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall, Karin, et al. 2015. Impactos da crise nas crianças portuguesas: indicadores, políticas, representações. Lisbon: ICS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall, Karin and Anna Escobedo. 2013. Parental Leave Policies, Gender Equity and Family Well-being in Europe: A Comparative Perspective. In Family Well-Being. European perspectives. Social Indicator Research Series, 103–129. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wängnerud, Lena. 2000. Testing the Politics of Presence: Women’s Representation in the Swedish Riksdag. Scandinavian political studies 23: 67–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, California State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA, 91330-8318, USA

    Ana Prata

Authors
  1. Ana Prata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, History, Culture and Art Studies, University of Helsinki, Finland

    Johanna Kantola

  2. Department of Political Science and Administration 2 Faculty of Political Science and Sociology, Madrid Complutense University, Spain

    Emanuela Lombardo

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Prata, A. (2017). The Visibility (and Invisibility) of Women and Gender in Parliamentary Discourse During the Portuguese Economic Crisis (2008–2014). In: Kantola, J., Lombardo, E. (eds) Gender and the Economic Crisis in Europe. Gender and Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50778-1_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation