Citizenship in an Enlarging Europe: Contested Strategies

Abstract

This article explores some of the debates surrounding the gendered impact of both the democratisation process & European Union enlargement on the countries of Central & Eastern Europe. It focuses on three key issues of gender-equitable citizenship: debates about the best mechanisms for achieving gender equality in mainstream politics; questions about the efficacy of civil society activism in relation to mainstream politics; & the pros & cons of gender mainstreaming as a key component of EU enlargement. It also raises the question of the most appropriate frame for achieving more gender-equitable societies: the nation-state or supra-national institutions such as the European Union.