The Big Y: Institutional Legitimacy Considerations for Gender Inclusion Initiatives to Promote Gender Equality in Different Cultural Contexts

Jensen, Helene Hastrup

4. term

Development and International Relations, Master

2023

69

Gender equality is widely discussed across society, and it often depends on how inclusive our institutions are. Inclusion and gender equality reinforce each other, but the social norms that support them do not appear by themselves. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) help shape these norms and can act as agents of change. This study focuses on the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). Although both actively work for gender equality, their names can create confusion about who is welcome. In some countries, the two have merged into a single national organization to signal inclusion more clearly. Denmark is one such case, which raises a broader question: why have more not merged? The thesis is a qualitative case study that uses Denmark as a point of comparison and examines four of the Danish organization’s international partner countries. It draws on interviews, fieldwork, and online documents to cross-check findings (triangulation). Using institutional theory and legitimacy theory, the thesis explores what would make a merger be seen as appropriate and acceptable in different cultural contexts. It examines three types of legitimacy: regulative (laws and rules), normative (values and expectations), and cultural-cognitive (shared beliefs). The study first analyzes the regulative basis in the four partner countries, then the normative and cultural-cognitive basis in the organizations, and finally offers relevant considerations and strategic recommendations from a multilevel legitimacy perspective for countries considering a merger. Findings show that in most cases there is a credible basis for joining YMCA and YWCA, and that this can be framed strategically to advance gender equality through inclusion. In one case, however, little or no basis exists because gender-unequal practices are deeply embedded and reinforced by social norms and cultural expectations. Cultural context always matters; rather than being only a barrier, it can also be an opportunity to inform, engage, and encourage more conscious practice.

Ligestilling mellem køn er et udbredt tema i samfundet og afhænger ofte af, hvor inkluderende vores institutioner er. Inklusion og ligestilling forstærker hinanden, men de sociale normer, der understøtter dem, opstår ikke af sig selv. Ikke-statslige organisationer (NGO’er) er med til at forme disse normer og kan fungere som forandringsagenter. Dette studie ser på Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) og Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). Selvom begge aktivt arbejder for ligestilling, kan navnene skabe forvirring om, hvem der er velkommen. I nogle lande er de to organisationer slået sammen til én national organisation for tydeligere at signalere inklusion. Danmark er et sådant tilfælde, hvilket rejser et bredere spørgsmål: Hvorfor er der ikke flere, der har slået sig sammen? Specialet er et kvalitativt casestudie, der bruger Danmark som sammenligningspunkt og undersøger fire af den danske organisations internationale partnerlande. Det bygger på interviews, feltarbejde og onlinedokumenter for at krydstjekke resultaterne (triangulering). Med udgangspunkt i institutionel teori og legitimitetsteori undersøger specialet, hvad der skal til, for at en sammenlægning opfattes som passende og acceptabel i forskellige kulturelle kontekster. Det ser på tre former for legitimitet: regulativ (love og regler), normativ (værdier og forventninger) og kulturelt-kognitiv (fælles forestillinger). Studiet analyserer først det regulative grundlag i de fire partnerlande, dernæst det normative og kulturelt-kognitive grundlag i organisationerne, og afslutter med relevante overvejelser og strategiske anbefalinger fra et flerniveaus legitimitetsperspektiv til lande, der overvejer en sammenlægning. Resultaterne viser, at der i de fleste tilfælde er et troværdigt grundlag for at slå YMCA og YWCA sammen, og at dette kan vinkledes strategisk for at fremme ligestilling gennem inklusion. I ét tilfælde er der dog kun ringe eller intet grundlag, fordi kønsulige praksisser er dybt indlejrede og forstærkes af sociale normer og kulturelle forventninger. Den kulturelle kontekst er altid vigtig; den er ikke kun en barriere, men også en mulighed for at oplyse, engagere og fremme mere bevidst praksis.

[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]

Inklusion ; Ligestilling ; NGO ; Legitimitet ; Institution ; Organisation ; Kultur ; Sociale normer ; Køn

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