Module 4
A Good Life for All
Access to social and economic rights as a foundation for political participation
Goals and Background
All over Europe – and all over the world – women are contributing in various
ways to changing the world into a better place and are working to turn the
vision of a “good life for all“ into a reality.
Combining modules on rights and resources, economic literacy and on citizenship
and civil society the seminar week in Vienna wants to raise awareness of
the economic and social situation of people living in Europe. It thereby
will take a special focus on the situation of women and discuss both the
possibilities, limitations and challenges of political participation linked
to different concepts of citizenship as well as the connection between political
participation and access to social and economic rights and resources.
Through meetings with local women scholars and activists opportunities to
get to know and discuss various approaches on how to contribute to “a good
life for all“ should be provided.
At the base of all this lies a reflection on ideas of what “a good life“
should include and thus on the values that build (and/or that we want to
build) the backbone of our society. Reflections and concepts that have been
published by women thinkers from different contexts will be introduced and
discussed. Beside this participants will be encouraged to sharpen their
own critical approach – starting from the experiences of their daily lives.
Content
• The social and economic situation of women and men in Europe
• Human rights: social and economic rights
• Social ethics – feminist ethics
• Employment policies
• Economic theories
• Feminist economy approaches
• Economic literacy training
• Theory and praxis of civil society in east and west of Europe
Methodology
Starting from an analysis of the present social situation, concepts and elements of a “good life“ will be explored and discussed by the group. Inputs on social and economic rights will be linked to the day to day experiences of women in relation to labour market and social policies. Starting from the participants own understanding of economies, both mainstream and feminist economic theories will be introduced and discussed. Finally there will be the chance to exchange ideas and experiences of the theory and praxis of civil society.
Leadership and Lecturers
The module has been developed by
• Michaela Moser, ksoe and
• Eva Klawatsch-Traitl, WIDE Austria and will be organised in cooperation
with
• Joan Robinson, the Austrian Anti Poverty Network (women’s task force)
and with Slovakian women’s organisations. Lecturers to be invited will include
• Dr. Karin Heitzman, University of Economics, Department of Social
Policy,
• Dr. Christa Schnabl, University of Vienna, Department of Social Ethics,
• Dr. Britta Neuhold, Human rights expert/WIDE,
• Dr. Luise Gubitzer and
• Dr. Gabriele Michalitsch (University of Economics and Business Administration
Vienna),
• Dr. Selma Sevenhuijsen, University of Utrecht/NL,
• Dr. Zuzana Kickova, philosopher, Bratislava
as well as representatives of Austrian women’s organisations, the Austrian
Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the city Council representative for Women’s
Affairs.
Reading list
• Mink, Gwendolyn (ed.): Whose Welfare? (Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press 1998).
• Nussbaum, Martha C.: Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach, Cambridge 2000.
• Österreichischer Entwicklungsdienst (Hrsg.:) Women Rights – Human Rights: From dream to reality, Eigenverlag, Wien 2000, to order: HORIZONT3000-Österreichische Organisation für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, Wohllebengasse 12-14,1040 Wien, Austria,
Tel: 0043-1-50 3000-3, E-mail: office@horizont3000.at, http://www.horizont3000.at
• Sevenhuijsen, Selma/Svab, Alenka (eds.): Labyrinths of Care. The Relevance of the Ethics of Care Perspective for Social Policy, Ljublana: Peace Institute 2003.
• WIDE-Network Women in Development Europe (Hrsg.): Transformation, participation, gender justice: Feminist challenges in a globalised economy, Report of WIDE’s Annual Conference 2003, Brussels 2003; to order: WIDE, Rue de la Science 10, 1000 Brussels, Belgium, Tel.: 0032-2-545-90-70, E-Mail: wide@gn.apc.org, http://www.eurosur.org/wide
• WIDE-Network Women in Development Europe (Hrsg.): Women in the Market – Manual for Popular Economic Literacy, 2000; to order: WIDE, Rue de la Science 10, 1000 Brussels, Belgium, Tel.: 0032-2-545-90-70, E-Mail: wide@gn.apc.org, http://www.eurosur.org/wide
Useful links
• European Anti Poverty Network: http://www.eapn.org
• EU Economic and Social Committee: http://www.esc.eu.int/
• EU Directorate General Employment and Social Affairs: http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/index_en.htm
• ATTAC: http://www.
attac.org
• WIDE Europe: http://www.eurosur.org/wide
• WIDE Austria: http://oneworld.at/wide
• JOAN ROBINSION: http://oneworld.at/wide/robinson.htm
> QUIZ
