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Cited by 23Gender and Feminist StudiesGender Politics and RepresentationHistorical Gender and Feminism Studies

The second wave of anti-feminism? Post-crisis maternalist policies and the attack on the concept of gender in Poland

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Szelewa, Dorota·2014·Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research
DOI 10.13060/12130028.2014.15.2.129
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Abstract

This article argues that, despite Poland's better situation during the economic crisis, the long-lasting rationalisation of permanent austerity overshadows and hinders any alternative solutions in the field of social policies. In this sense, the crisis that hurt the economies of many other countries represented a reference frame for adhering to the path of austerity policies in Poland. The neoliberal track in social and economic policies was accompanied by the strengthening of their conservative pillar: any slight improvements in family policies took a maternalist direction, with a well-paid maternity leave prolonged to one year without the same individual rights being granted to fathers. Finally, the crisis served as a background for the Catholic Church's attack on the category of "gender", an example of moral panic. The policy changes as well as the stronger anti-feminism in public discourse were in line with the institutional and ideological legacies of the period of transition, while the crisis served as a direct and indirect reference point for the actors behind these developments.This research was supported by the National Research Centre in Poland, grant no 2012/04/S/HS5/00440.

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Cited by

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Authors
Szelewa, D.
Affiliations
University of Warsaw (PL)
Corresponding author
Szelewa, Dorota
ORCID
Szelewa, Dorota
Venue
Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research
Publisher
Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Published
2014-06-01
Volume
15
Issue
2
Pages
33-47
ISSN
  • 1213-0028 (ISSN-L)
  • 1805-7632
DOI
10.13060/12130028.2014.15.2.129
OpenAlex
W2053045130
Cited by
23
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2
FWCI
3.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Gender and Research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Digitalni Knihovna - Knihovna Akademie věd ČR (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Politics and Representation
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Historical Gender and Feminism Studies
Keywords
anti-feminism, maternalism, austerity, economic crisis, family policy, maternity leave, gender, Catholic Church, moral panic, neoliberalism, conservative social policy, Poland

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