Gender, Politics, and Development

Gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, are now widely accepted as development goals in their own right and as essential to inclusive and sustainable development. Yet despite progress in many areas, gender gaps and discrimination persist. This course asks: How did gender equality move from the periphery to the center of development discourse, and what difference has this shift made? Is gender equality a human right, an essential dimension of human development, or “smart economics”? What are the implications of a gender equality agenda for men and boys, and for broader understandings of gender identities and sexualities? What policies, strategies, and practices have been effective—or ineffective—in narrowing gender gaps and improving outcomes for both women and men in different development settings? What are possible responses to the “gender backlash” emerging in some countries and institutions?

In this course, we approach gender, politics, and development through theory, policy, and practice. We explore multiple constructions of gender in development discourse; the intersection of gender with race, ethnicity, caste, class, sexual orientation, disability, and other social categories; and the influence of dominant economic and political trends. We examine how gender norms shape the approaches of governments, development agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector.

A critical gender lens is applied to a wide range of development sectors and issues, including economic development, political participation, education and health, environment and climate change, and conflict and displacement. The course also considers current debates and approaches related to gender mainstreaming and gender metrics in development practice. Students engage with the material through class discussions, exercises, case studies, and the development of a gender-related project proposal.