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Gender Equality Norm Diffusion and Actor Constellations: A First Exploration

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Gender Equality Norms in Regional Governance

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

Abstract

This book investigates the diffusion of two gender equality norms. It traces how norms concerning gender-based violence travel between the global and the regional level as well as within regions with regard to the EU, South America and Southern Africa. It also investigates the dynamics concerning gender mainstreaming in development aid and trade negotiations at the interregional level, focusing on the relations between the EU, on the one hand, and SADC and Mercosur, on the other. In this chapter, we unravel the dynamics of norm diffusion, the actors that are involved in diffusion processes and the role of framing in constructing, negotiating, contesting and changing norms. We will first scrutinize the notion of norms, after which we will look at the dynamics of norm diffusion. The empirical chapters of the book investigate the different pathways and mechanisms through which norms emerge, travel and change. In order to grasp what is at stake in these empirical cases, we introduce a framework in this chapter that unpacks the actor constellations of norm diffusion as well as the framing processes involved.

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© 2014 Anouka van Eerdewijk and Conny Roggeband

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van Eerdewijk, A., Roggeband, C. (2014). Gender Equality Norm Diffusion and Actor Constellations: A First Exploration. In: van der Vleuten, A., van Eerdewijk, A., Roggeband, C. (eds) Gender Equality Norms in Regional Governance. Gender and Politics Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137301451_3

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