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Social Inclusion or Gender Equality? Political Discourses on Parental Leave in Finland and Sweden
[journal article]
Abstract
During the 2010s, both Finland and Sweden made advancements in their parental leave systems by widening the right to paid parental leave to a greater diversity of family constellations and investing in gender-equal leave distribution through longer leave periods reserved for the father. However, in ... view more
During the 2010s, both Finland and Sweden made advancements in their parental leave systems by widening the right to paid parental leave to a greater diversity of family constellations and investing in gender-equal leave distribution through longer leave periods reserved for the father. However, in the latter respect, Sweden has remained more successful than Finland. This article analyses government and political party discourses in Finland and Sweden during the 2010s in pursuit of an explanation to this difference and for understanding how ideas on social inclusion and gender equality have been used to drive, or block, policy reforms in the field of parental leave. The results show that the parental leave discourses have become influenced by ideas on social inclusion and gender equality in both countries, but in somewhat different ways. While gender equality has retained a stronger position in the Swedish discourse and its policy, social inclusion, and notably the rights of same-sex parents, have become more visible in the Finnish. However, the results also show that both ideas have remained contested on a party level, especially by confessional and nationalist-populist parties.... view less
Keywords
Finland; Sweden; parenthood; family policy; gainful employment; child care; work-family balance; social policy; parental leave; gender relations; social integration
Classification
Family Policy, Youth Policy, Policy on the Elderly
Family Sociology, Sociology of Sexual Behavior
Free Keywords
2010s; Finland; Sweden; gender equality; government; parental leave distribution; political discourse; political party
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
Page/Pages
p. 300-312
Journal
Social Inclusion, 9 (2021) 2
Issue topic
The Inclusiveness of Social Rights: The Case of Parental Leave Policies
ISSN
2183-2803
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed