Evaluation of Gender Equality Policies

Abstract

This paper provides an analysis of the context and the preconditions of evaluations in the area of gender equality policies in tertiary education.¹ As this article will show, the process of evaluating gender equality policies in higher education is embedded in a contradictory context of interests and conflicts, of ensuring quality and allocating resources. Nonetheless, evaluations are becoming an increasingly important topic, not least because they constitute one of several instruments used to ensure quality in gender equality policies. In addition, evaluations are, or at least can be, instrumental in political processes and political decisions within a university. This is true for evaluations in all fields but specific fears about evaluation arise where gender equality policies are concerned. There are several reasons for this. One is that evaluations could be used to cut spending. Another reason is that evaluations might also be used to legitimize earlier political decisions that were insensitive to gender equality considerations. A third possible reason is that some gender equality policy and gender research professionals have encountered evaluations which did not take the particular conditions of gender equality policies into account due to a lack of knowledge and experience in the field (Widmer/Levy 2006, Maurer/Wecker 2003: 24).

In this text we have used the term “Gender Equality Policies” for “Gleichstellungsmal3nahmen” and “Gender Equity” for “Geschlechtergleichheit”. While preparing this paper we discovered an unclear usage of equality and equity. We refer to the German sociologist Gudrun AxeliKnapp who distinguishes three strategies in equal opportunities “Gleichheit”, “Differenz” und “Dekonstruktion” (see Knapp 1998). Beside this, the American feminist Nancy Fraser influenced our thinking. She refers to Gender Equity as long term and comprehensive goal whereas equality in her understanding is more an action in the sense of equal treatment of men and women (see Fraser 1997). In the context of the European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education there is a broad understanding of “equality”. This is why we use “Gender Equality Policies” to translate the German word “Gleichstellungsmallnahmen”. Nevertheless it seems to be necessary to clarify English terms and the translation from different national languages on what we mean when we speak about Gender Equality.