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Dr Sofia Strid

Formerly at Lancaster University

Research Interests

My research interests are both theoretical and policy oriented and include research on comparative gender equality and intersectionality in the EU27; gender based violence and intersectionalised violence against women; feminist civil society and the organisation and institutionalisation of women's interests by women and by political authorities; the EU as a polity and a political authority; intersectionality in equality policies; and the equality architecture/equality machinery.

Current Research

My main current research activity is the project 'The Strength of Feminist Civil Society in the EU27', which is a two-year international post-doc project funded by the Swedish Research Council and carried out with the UNESCO Chair in Gender Research Group. The project aims to develop a typology to describe and compare variations in strength of feminist civil society organisations in the EU27 and to explain the variations.

This year I've also held a postdoc funded by the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna to research and publish on gender based violence policy and the concept of intersectionality in Britain and across the EU. The main questions are: what is quality in GBV policy; what is intersectionality in the context of GBV policy; and what difference, if any, does the inclusion of multiple inequalities make to the quality of GBV policy?

In addition, I am working on publications from the EU 6 Framework funded project Quality in Gender+ Equality Policies, a project I have been involved in since 2007 and where some 50 researchers compare the meanings of gender equality in the EU27 and Croatia and Turkey. This involves close textual analysis of key policy documents on gender equality in employment, gender-based violence and intimate citizenship, as well as the comparative analysis of the varied institutional and social structural environments under which these meanings develop. Prof. Mieke Verloo in Vienna coordinates the project. www.quing.eu

As a member ofthe UNESCO Chair in Gender Research Group, based at Lancaster University, I'm involved in research on the gendered impact of the financial crisis, including gender based violence against women. As part of this project, Dr. Jo Armstrong and I organised and chaired thesession 'Gender and the Financial Crisis' at the International Sociological Association XVII World Congress of Sociology in July 2010, where I also chaired a session on 'New approaches to understanding economic inequalities and their significance'. www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/groups/gender_research/

I am involved in Gendering Excellence - Centre of Gender Excellence (GEXcel) and co-edited, with Prof. Anna G. Jónasdóttir, the GEXcel Work in Progress Report, Volume VIII and IX on'Love in Our Time - A Question for Feminism'. GEXcel, funded by the Swedish Research Council, seeks to establish a Centre of Gender Excellence at the inter-university Institute of Thematic Gender Studies, Linköping University and Örebro University for the period 2007-2011. The overall research theme of GEXcel is defined as transnational and transdisciplinary studies of changing gender relations, intersectionalities and embodiment. www.genderexcel.org

Research Projects

The Strength of Feminist Civil Society Organisations in the EU (2011-2013)

The two-year international post-doc project, funded by the Swedish Research Council and carried out with the UNESCO Chair in Gender Research Group,aims to develop a typology to describe and compare variations in strength of feminist civil society organisations in the EU27 and to explain the variations. What is strength and what explains it? How can strength be operationalised? Is strength a question of quantitative resources of feminist civil society organisations, including permanent paid staff; permanent office; funding; membership size; and the number of affiliated member organisations? Can strength be measured by the intra-feminist civil society, including the transnational character of civil society organisations? Is the capacity of feminist civil society organisations to frame issues in ways that allow for joint collaborations and the overcoming of cultural differences an indication of strength? The project draws on previous research that utilise variables such as the relation between women´s policy agencies and the women's movement; the economic and non-economic resources of the organisation; and European and international networks available to the organisation to explain strength and its variations.

Quality in Gender+ Equality Policies (2007-2011)

Funded by the EU 6 Framework programme.
Quing is an Integrated Project funded by the European Union under Framework 6 to investigate gender and citizenship in a multicultural context, 2006-2011. We compare the meanings of gender equality in the 27 EU member states, together with 2 candidate countries for EU members. This involves close textual analysis of key policy documents on gender equality in employment, gender-based violence and intimate citizenship, as well as the comparative analysis of the varied institutional and social structural environments under which these meanings develop. Quing will contribute to the development of gender theory, especially in relation to intersectionality and to the theorisation of differences in gender regimes, as well as to more effective gender equality policies. With partners in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey, the project is coordinated by Prof. Mieke Verloo in Vienna.

The Quality of Gender Based Violence Policy and Intersectionality (2011)

Funded by the EU 6 Framework programme and the Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna.
The focus of this project is the quality of gender based violence policy and the concept of intersectionality in Britain and across the EU. The main questions are: what is quality in GBV policy; what is intersectionality in the context of GBV policy; and what difference, if any, does the inclusion of multiple inequalities make to the quality of GBV policy? The empirical material that is the basis of this project and publication has been developed in QUING and include unique timelines mapping the recent history and development of GBV policy in each of the EU27; the major policy shifts and the role played by different actors, including the state's engagement with and inclusion of multiple inequalities in policy; the overall aims of GBV policy and policy actions; the naming and visibility of inequalities; and the extent to which intersectionality is present in respective policy in each of the GBV subcategories, domestic violence, sexual violence, forced marriage and honour crimes. The project contributes to the conceptualisation of the relationships between different inequalities and to explanations of deficiencies, deviations and inconsistencies in gender+ equality policies and their quality.

The Physical and Legal Security and the Criminal Justice System (2009-2010)

Funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (UK). The project constitutes a review of physical and legal security to contribute to the Equality Measurement Framework, funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, by the UNESCO Chair in Gender Research Group. The project includes the gathering and reviewing data on crime, including victims and perpetrators, criminal justice systems, police and prison. Analysis of trends in Britain with a special focus on protected inequality grounds and intersectionalised violence. The final report constitutes a research report for the EHRC Triennial Review, How Fair is Britain? (2010).

Gender and the Financial Crisis (2009- )

A series of projects have been developed under this umbrella project, including the social implications of the financial crisis; the relation between violence against women and the financial crisis; and the gendered implications of the financial crisis. The project is ongoing and is carried out by the members of the UNESCO Chair of Gender Research Group at Lancaster University, UK.

Gender Equality in the EU. The European Women's Lobby and the Organisation and Representation of Women's Interests (2002-2006, 2009)

Funded by the Department of Political and Social Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden. On a general level, the project concerned the changed and changing institutional conditions for gender equality in Europe and the organisation and institutionalisation of women's social and political interests at the EU level. I asked in what ways political structures and authorities enable and/or obstruct women to generate, sustain and control their presence in politics as women. I explored how the EU institutions structure and provide opportunities and constraints for women to mobilise and organise to act as an authorised party vis-a-vis and within the EU political system. How does it come that women, as a collective, are not only recognised as a politically relevant group but also legitimised to act and be present as women in an organised relationship with the EU system's main authorities?

Additional Information

Publications

Walby, S., Armstrong, J. and Strid, S. (2011) 'Intersectionality and the quality of the gender equality architecture', Social Politics, forthcoming.

Walby, S., Armstrong, J., and Strid, S. (2011) 'Intersectionality: Multiple inequalities in social theory', Sociology, forthcoming.

Walby, S., Armstrong, J. and Strid, S. (2011) 'Developing measures of multiple forms of sexual violence and their contested treatment in the criminal justice system' in Walklate, S.and Brown, J.(eds) Handbook on Sexual Violence. London: Routledge.

Strid,S. and Jónasdóttir, A. G. (eds) (2011) GEXcel Work in Progress Report, Volume IX. Proceedings from GEXcel Theme 10: Love in Our Time - a Question for Feminism Conference of Workshops. CFS Report Series No. 15, Örebro University and Tema Genus Report Series No. 13, Linköping University.

 

Strid, S. (2011) 'Even feminists fall in love', in Strid, S.and Jónasdóttir, A.G. (eds) (2011) GEXcel Work in Progress Report, Volume IX. Proceedings from GEXcel Theme 10: Love in Our Time - a Question for Feminism Conference of Workshops. CFS Report Series No. 15, Örebro University and Tema Genus Report Series No. 13, Linköping University.

Jónasdóttir, A. G. and Strid, S.(2011) 'Introduction', Strid, S.and Jónasdóttir, A.G. (eds) (2011) GEXcel Work in Progress Report, Volume IX. Proceedings from GEXcel Theme 10: Love in Our Time - a Question for Feminism Conference of Workshops. CFS Report Series No. 15, Örebro University and Tema Genus Report Series No. 13, Linköping University.

Strid, S.and Jónasdóttir, A. G.(eds) (2010) GEXcel Work in Progress Report, Volume VIII. Proceedings from GEXcel Theme 10: Love in Our Time - a Question for Feminism, Spring 2010. CFS Report Series No. 14, Örebro University and Tema Genus Report Series No. 12, Linköping University.

Strid, S. and Jónasdóttir, A. G.(2010) 'Editors' Introduction', in Strid, S. andJónasdóttir, A. G. (eds) GEXcel Work in Progress Report, Volume VIII. Proceedings from GEXcel Theme 10: Love in Our Time - a Question for Feminism, Spring 2010. CFS Report Series No. 14, Örebro University and Tema Genus Report Series No. 12, Linköping University.

Armstrong, J., Strid, S. and Walby, S. (2010[2008]) Country Context Study of Ireland. QUING Project, Vienna: Institute for Human Sciences (IWM). Online publication.

Armstrong, J., Strid, S. and Walby, S. (2010[2007]) Issue Histories Ireland: Series of Timelines of Policy Debates, QUING Project, Vienna: Institute for Human Sciences (IWM). Online publication.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J. and Walby, S. (2010[2008]) Country Context Study of the UK, QUING Project, Vienna: Institute for Human Sciences (IWM). Online publication.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J., and Walby, S. (2010[2007]) Issue Histories UK: Series of Timelines of Policy Debates, QUING Project, Vienna: Institute for Human Sciences (IWM). Online publication.

Strid, S., Walby, S. and Armstrong, J. (2010[2008]) Intersectionality: Analysing intersectionality in gender equality policies in the UK. QUING Project, Vienna: Institute for Human Sciences (IWM). Online publication.

Strid, S., Walby, S. and Armstrong, J. (2010[2008]) Intersectionality: Analysing intersectionality in gender equality policies in Ireland. QUING Project, Vienna: Institute for Human Sciences (IWM). Online publication.

Walby, S, Armstrong, J. and Strid, S. (2010) Physical and Legal Security in the Criminal Justice System: A Review of Inequalities. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Armstrong, J., S. Walby, S. and S. Strid (2009) 'The gendered division of labour: how can we assess the quality of employment and care policy from a gender equality perspective?', Benefits: Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, 17 (3): 263-275.

Strid, S. (2009) Gendered Interests in the EU. The European Women's Lobby and the Organisation and Representation of Women's Interests. Örebro: Örebro University Press.

Strid, S., (2009) 'Book review: The Price of Gender Equality: Member States and Governance in the European Union' by Anna van der Vleuten. Ashgate, Aldershot. 2007. Feminist Theory 10 (1): 136-137.

Strid, S. and Magnusson, H. (2008) 'Don't throw the baby out with the bath water',Jones, K. B. and Karlsson, G. (eds)Gender and the Interests of Love. Orebro: Orebro University Press.

DeTroy, C., Strid, S. and Tsaklanganos, G. (2007) Reality Check: When Women's NGOs Map Policies and Legislation on Violence against Women. European Observatory on Violence Against Women. Brussels: European Women's Lobby.

Strid, S. (2007) '50 Years of Equality between Women and Men in the EU'. In Fifty Years of the European Union. Fifty Fifty for Women and Men? Brussels: European Women's Lobby.

Strid, S. (2007) 'Equality Between Men and Women in Europe: a Historical Overview'. In Fifty Years of the European Union. Fifty Fifty for Women and Men? Brussels: European Women's Lobby.

Reports delivered to the European Commission (2009-2007)

Armstrong, J., Walby, S. and Strid, S. (2009) QUING: WHY Intersectionality and the Quality of Gendered Employment Policy. 20 pages.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J. and Walby, S. (2009) QUING: LARG Frame Comparison between the EU and the UK. Delivered to the European Commission on 31 January 2009. 49 pages.

Verloo, M., Walby, S., Armstrong, J. and Strid, S. (2009) Deliverable No.62: Final STRIQ report. Delivered to the European Commission 31 December 2009. 25 pages

Walby, S., Armstrong, J. and Strid, S. (2009) QUING: STRIQ Conceptual Framework for the Gender+ Equality Policies in a Multicultural Context. 26 pages.

Walby, S., Armstrong, J. and Strid, S. (2009) QUING: WHY Intersectionality and the Quality of the Equality Architecture in Britain. 29 pages.

Armstrong, J., Strid, S. and Walby, S. (2008) QUING: Country report on Frames in the Ireland. D40. Delivered to European Commission 30 April 2008. 507 pages.

Armstrong, J., Strid, S. and Walby, S. (2008) QUING: Country Context Study of Ireland. . D41. Delivered to European Commission 30 June 2008. 58 pages.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J. and Walby, S. (2008) QUING: LARG Country report on Frames in the UK. D40. Delivered to European Commission 30 April 2008. 462 pages.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J. and Walby, S. (2008) QUING: Analysing Intersectionality in Gender Equality Policies in the UK. Delivered to the European Commission. 61 pages.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J. and Walby, S. (2008) QUING: Analysing Intersectionality in Gender Equality Policies in Ireland. Delivered to the European Commission. 57 pages.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J. and Walby, S. (2008) QUING: WHY Country Context Study of the UK. D41. Delivered to European Commission 30 June 2008. 59 pages.

Walby, S., Strid, S. and Armstrong, J. (2008) QUING: Intersectionality Methodology Manual for WHY. QUING document delivered to QUING's 50 members. 10 pages

Strid, S., Walby, S. and Armstrong, J. (2008) QUING Intersectionality: Analysing intersectionality in gender equality policies in the UK. D47. Delivered to the European Commission 31 October 2008. 63 pages.

Strid, S., Walby, S. and Armstrong, J. (2008) QUING Intersectionality: Analysing intersectionality in gender equality policies in Ireland. D47. Delivered to the European Commission 31 October 2008. 
56 pages.

Armstrong, J., Strid, S. and Walby, S. (2007). QUING: LARG Selection of Policy documents in Ireland. D33. Delivered to European Commission 30 November 2007. 8 pages.

Armstrong, J., Strid, S. and Walby, S. (2007) QUING: The Development of Gender Equality Policy in Ireland. D19. Delivered to European Commission 31 July 2007. 67 pages.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J. and Walby, S. (2007) QUING: LARG Selection of Policy documents in the UK. D33. Delivered to European Commission 30 November 2007. 8 pages.

Strid, S., Armstrong, J. and Walby, S. (2007) QUING: The Development of Gender Equality Policy in the UK. D19. Delivered to European Commission 31 July 2007. 80 pages.

Walby, S., Armstrong, J. and Strid, S. (2007) QUING: Country Study Methodology Manual for WHY. . D23. Delivered to the European Commission 31 August 2007. 20 pages.

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