Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. Also required is 90 credits in political science or corresponding knowledge. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students will be able to:

• Critically discuss and explain analytical perspectives, theories, and concepts used in gender and politics research.
• Apply relevant theories and concepts to analyze concrete examples of gender inequalities.
• Provide and critically assess insights from classical and contemporary gender and politics research.
• Produce a concise academic paper that analyzes a political phenomenon from a gender perspective.

Content

This master’s-level course in political science examines the sources and consequences of gender inequalities in politics and society, while also considering inequalities between other social groups.

The course equips students with theoretical, analytical, and methodological tools to study gender inequalities. It explores how these inequalities originate, the mechanisms through which they are reproduced over time, and their broader consequences.

The theoretical components provide an overview of key analytical perspectives, concepts, frameworks, and methodologies used in gender and politics research, broadly defined.

The empirical components survey major contemporary contributions to the field across multiple subfields. This part highlights the diverse arenas in which gender inequalities emerge and persist, including domestic and international politics as well as other power-laden domains. Through engagement with real-world examples, students develop a deeper understanding of how gender disparities become institutionalized and how they may be challenged or reformed.

Instruction

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars. Attendance at seminars is mandatory, and students must complete a preparatory assignment before each seminar, either individually or in a group. In addition to scheduled classes, participants are expected to engage in independent study of the course literature - ideally before the corresponding seminar. The total workload amounts to approximately 40 hours per week. The course is conducted in English.

Assessment

Examination takes place continuously throughout the course, through written and oral assignments, as well as through active participation in the seminars. At the end of the course, the students write a final course paper. The course paper must deal with issues addressed during the course. The following grades will be applied: pass with distinction (VG), pass (G) and fail (U).

In order to pass the following is required:

• The student has achieved the learning outcomes
• The student has participated in all compulsory elements of the course
• All the seminar assignments and the course paper have been completed and passed

If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions to the specified examination method and allow a student to be examined in a different way. Special reasons can e.g. be notification of special educational support from the university's coordinator.