@article{cc330d8ad2fc4bc4b6f740de2db54f7c,
title = "Equality on His Terms: Doing and Undoing Gender through Men{\textquoteright}s Discussion Groups",
abstract = "Efforts to promote gender equality often encourage changes to interpersonal interactions as a way of undermining gender hierarchy. Such programs are premised on the idea that the gender system can be “undone” when individuals behave in ways that challenge prevailing gender norms. However, scholars know little about whether and under what conditions real changes to the gender system can result from changed behaviors. We use the context of a gender sensitization program in the Democratic Republic of Congo to examine prospects for transformative change at the interactional level of the gender system. Over nine months, we observed significant changes in men{\textquoteright}s quotidian practices. Further, we identified a new commitment among many men to a more equal division of household labor. However, participants consistently undermined the transformative potential of these behavioral changes through their dedication to maintaining control over the objective, process, and meaning of change, resisting conceptions of equality that challenged the gender system. Because quotidian changes left gender hierarchy intact, they appear unlikely to destabilize the logics that legitimate women{\textquoteright}s subordination.",
keywords = "doing gender, gender equality, gender relations, household division of labor, social change",
author = "Pierotti, {Rachael S.} and Milli Lake and Chlo{\'e} Lewis",
note = "Funding Information: efforts to promote gender equality often encourage changes to interpersonal interactions as a way of undermining gender hierarchy. Such programs are premised on the idea that the gender system can be “undone” when individuals behave in ways that challenge prevailing gender norms. however, scholars know little about whether and under what conditions real changes to the gender system can result from changed behaviors. We use the context of a gender sensitization program in the Democratic Republic of congo to examine prospects for transformative change at the interactional level of the gender system. over nine months, we observed significant changes in men{\textquoteright}s quotidian practices. Further, we identified a new commitment among many men to a more equal division of household labor. however, participants consistently undermined the transformative potential of these behavioral changes through their dedication to maintaining control over the objective, process, and meaning of change, resisting conceptions of equality that challenged the AuThORS{\textquoteright} NOTE: this research was made possible through the generous financial support of the State and Peacebuilding Fund and the Nordic trust Fund at the World Bank, as well as the World Bank{\textquoteright}s Umbrella Facility for Gender equality. the study benefited from close collaboration with the international Rescue committee (iRc), especially the research team and the Women{\textquoteright}s Protection and empowerment technical Unit. the research would not have been possible without the work of alfred Banga, Jean de Dieu hategekimana, and Ghislain cimanuka. thank you also to Julia Vaillant, Ruti levtov, Michelle Poulin, and Nadine Rudahindwa, and to the anonymous reviewers who provided thoughtful comments. all errors are our own. correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Rachael S. Pierotti, the World Bank, 1818 h Street NW, Washington, Dc 20433-0001, USa; e-mail: rpierotti@worldbank.org Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018, 2018 by The Author(s).",
year = "2018",
month = aug,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1177/0891243218779779",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "32",
pages = "540--562",
journal = "Gender and Society",
issn = "0891-2432",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",
number = "4",
}