The EUI Department of Political and Social Sciences launched a cycle of public events in Florence, titled "SPS and the City". The series, hosted by Caffè Letterario, Il Conventino, aims to gather EUI researchers and faculty for an opportunity to engage in fruitful discussions with the Florentine community. Each event consists of a presentation followed by a discussion with the audience.
The first event, “Il ciclo di vita della disuguaglianza di genere” (The life cycle of gender inequality) took place at Il Conventino on 9 March, in the framework of a series of initiatives organised as part of International Women’s Day at the EUI. It featured SPS researcher Eréndira Léon and Head of Department, Professor Elias Dinas, for an evidence-based discussion on gender inequality.
Professor Dinas introduced the topic, presenting reflections of a Greek writer on how gender impacts women and men differently:
If I would be a boy…
I would find the correct diagnosis, the correct medicine, the correct treatment for any disease.
I would not softly sing “If I were a girl” because there is no such song
I would consider the phrase “no means no” as a tautology
Afterwards, SPS researcher, Eréndira Léon, delivered a presentation on the evidence-based work on gender inequality across various domains of social and political life, which included outputs from research conducted by EUI faculty members. Other projects discussed were from different parts of the world.
"One of the main reasons to present and discuss this important issue is because it is a topic of social justice around the globe," said Léon.
In her presentation, Léon highlighted the importance of considering the cumulative effects of gender inequalities across women's lives substantiated with empirical work from political science and sociology. Starting from childhood, through labour market participation, migration, and family life, women face greater challenges compared to their male counterparts.
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session with the participants from the Florentine community regarding labour market inequalities and gendered migration in Italy.
The next event will take place at Il Conventino and will focus on migration. Other events in the series are planned for later in the year and will touch on themes linked to the Department's research topics.
Photo credit: Il Conventino - Caffè Letterario