“Sweden says it will pursue a feminist foreign policy to counter Russian aggression"

[Nakura]

Margot Wallström, the newly minted foreign minister, has said that under her leadership Sweden will become the only country in the world to conduct a “feminist foreign policy.” That’s a perspective that flows from U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, a landmark measure that recognized both the disproportionate impact war has on women and the role women must play in ensuring peace and security….

By empowering women, the argument goes, there are better chances of snuffing out wars before they start and of ending them in more equitable ways. However, it is less clear what such a feminist foreign policy has to say about the old-school power politics that Putin has helped resuscitate in the past year.

During a recent debate in the Swedish parliament, Wallström said that her feminist approach is based on the American political scientist Joseph Nye’s concept of “smart power.” “The tools of foreign policy can, in varying degrees, be hard as well as soft. The situation at hand determines this,” Wallström said. “The half of the population that so far has been almost systematically excluded and forgotten — namely, women — will now be included.”

Asked how she believes a feminist foreign policy will help end Russian aggression, Wallström suggested it would be useful to review women’s participation in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and to look at what it does to address the problems women face — a statement exactly as vague as it sounds …

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/v...an-aggression/

Original Article: http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/12/05/...minism-sweden/

What do you guys think of Sweden's attempt to appease Russian "macho aggression" with their "feminist foreign policy?" Do you think that this foreign policy is insane? Do you think it is ridiculous (or even extremist) that top-level officials in Sweden think that men are responsible for all of the world's problems?

[removeduser_487563287433]

I think it's ridiculous you read this as blaming men for all the world's problems.

/thread

[Adar]

Margot Wallström is not exactly the sharpest knife in the toolbox and have made a career of hiding in the EU commission until other Social Democrats started to believe she is competent.

Smart power is good, but she is neither smart nor a long term problem considering that we are going to have a snap election or new government soon.

[wilpuri]

Swedish politics and public debate is like a Stalinist hyperreality on LSD with elements of Sweet Valley High.

[Aanker]

Give back Carl Bildt please.

While I think you read the wrong thing into the whole feminist foreign policy idea, a 'feminist foreign policy' sounds more like a cheap catchphrase rather than a thoroughly planned strategy.

[sumskilz]

Does war really disproportionately effect women? I noticed an almost complete lack of empirical evidence for the statement on the UN website.

a 'feminist foreign policy' sounds more like a cheap catchphrase

I would have gone with absurd.

[Sharukinu]

Hmm, women have played vital roles behind the scenes throughout history, sometimes promoting instability, regicide, or even war, so I'm not really sure what a "feminist foreign policy" is supposed to mean here. Why not just call it pacifism or neutrality?

[Adar]

Hmm, women have played vital roles behind the scenes throughout history, sometimes promoting instability, regicide, or even war, so I'm not really sure what a "feminist foreign policy" is supposed to mean here. Why not just call it pacifism or neutrality?

I think you got a good point and that we could call it denialism of historical female involvement in international politics?

[Dante Von Hespburg]

I think you got a good point and that we could call it denialism of historical female involvement in international politics?

Miss that one actually, indeed in a way surely this 'relabeling' of an already existing and dare i say 'typical' foreign policy that pursues diplomatic avenues over hard power and coercion, is distancing women from a critical role throughout history, whether they be a driving force like Catherine the Great, Margaret Thatcher, Queen Isabelle, Empress Irene or Elizabeth I or indeed a key influence-er and instigator of policy much like Queen Anne or Mary I, If anything it's counter-productive if one really did want to portray the role of women throughout history.

A better idea if it truly is a 'feminist' agenda and not merely for publicity would be to put forward that Swedish foreign policy will be some great start of attempting to address the historical imbalance of men and women in positions of power and point out past historical roles of women as something to aspire too.

At the same time though dropping the idea that this 'feminist' foreign policy is anything different than what many states have pursued before. Indeed it merely seems to be a catch-all term where violent acts can be removed (And thus ignoring again some powerful historical women role in shaping foreign policy) and a white-wash given to starting with 'her' as the beginning of an entirely new chapter of history where women for the first time shape policy and can ignore the past actions of other women in power.

Indeed the more i think about it, the more such a claim seems to be just one politicians ego-trip and perhaps attempt at a 'legacy' conveniently ignoring powerful female historical figures.

[Roma_Victrix]

Hmm, women have played vital roles behind the scenes throughout history, sometimes promoting instability, regicide, or even war, so I'm not really sure what a "feminist foreign policy" is supposed to mean here. Why not just call it pacifism or neutrality?

Exactly. It's hard to understand exactly what she's saying or to read her intent, given the vague terms she has chosen.

In either case, it isn't noble pacifism that's keeping Russia at bay and Putin thinking twice about tip-toeing into Eastern Europe with his masked and unmarked little green men, in countries with significant Russian minorities. Putin is swayed from taking action by the fact that NATO has a ton of missiles pointed at Russia, and a mass of troops dedicated to mutual defense. No amount of flowery feminist rhetoric stops a tank from plowing through a crowd and blowing up the podium you're standing on while delivering said speech.

[Dante Von Hespburg]

I'm failing to see how this can be construed as the upper echelons of Swedish politics blaming men for all the worlds issues.

But at the same time, i'm failing to see how Wallstroms 'feminist foreign policy' is actually any different than any other state who makes use of soft power over hard power (or in tandem)... which strangely is most states barring those with more aggressive foreign policies or large-scale world interests. It seems merely to be a media stunt, perhaps to shore up support or put forward her own stamp on what is basically the same style of foreign policy that is used and has been used for quite some time.

[Ecthelion]

Is this for real?
Oh Sweden...

No wonder why Russia picks on your guys, Putin loves to troll liberals.

[Adar]

And the embarrassment just keeps on coming.

Now the Russian ambassador managed to trick Margot Wallström into believing that Swedish airplanes also fly without transponders over the Baltic... But I guess poor fact checking is an integral part of a feminist foreign policy.

[Ecthelion]

And the embarrassment just keeps on coming.

Now the Russian ambassador managed to trick Margot Wallström into believing that Swedish airplanes also fly without transponders over the Baltic... But I guess poor fact checking is an integral part of a feminist foreign policy.

Am I the only one who is confused as to how foreign policy can be "feminist"?

[Dante Von Hespburg]

Am I the only one who is confused as to how foreign policy can be "feminist"?

Don't feel alone, i think we all are. Considering it's basically the same as any other foreign policy practiced through-out history that aims to prevent conflict/ use soft power instead of threats. Indeed i'm not even sure she knows what she means by 'feminist' foreign policy considering how vague her own definition is. It really does just sound like a legacy stunt where she's attempting to make something established 'new' and more importantly with shouting of 'i did it first!'.

[Flavius Julius Nepos Augustus]

ok...

If someone makes a hearts of iron out of this eara:
Margot Wallström: leadership -5% threat impact -0.10

She is just talking bollox. If she said we need to make sure women are not forgotten in out foreign policy ok... (even then Sweden has little impact in a conflict).
Imagine if this kind of policy spreads in the west.. then China and friends can do a walk over in some decades..
Did they give her this job because it isn't that important for Sweden??

[Adar]

ok...

If someone makes a hearts of iron out of this eara:
Margot Wallström: leadership -5% threat impact -0.10

She is just talking bollox. If she said we need to make sure women are not forgotten in out foreign policy ok... (even then Sweden has little impact in a conflict).
Imagine if this kind of policy spreads in the west.. then China and friends can do a walk over in some decades..
Did they give her this job because it isn't that important for Sweden??

No she was given the job because she have served as Swedens EU commissioner for a very long time without getting into trouble. To my knowledge her impact in the EU have been minimal but just being there convinced a Lot of Social Democrats that she got competence in international politics

[dogukan]

am I the only one that thinks lets she what will happen with this? Its not like Russia is going to declare war on Sweden. Why do Swedes think they are so involved in Russia's interests at the moment?
Feminist perspective is not just about women and stuff, its a an epistemological position as well. Given that women make up approximately half of each country, its not something one should dismiss.
I am curious as to what she means by "feminist foreign policy" but then again, before looking into actual feminist perspective I had prejudices about many things they said.

[Dante Von Hespburg]

am I the only one that thinks lets she what will happen with this? Its not like Russia is going to declare war on Sweden. Why do Swedes think they are so involved in Russia's interests at the moment?
Feminist perspective is not just about women and stuff, its a an epistemological position as well. Given that women make up approximately half of each country, its not something one should dismiss.
I am curious as to what she means by "feminist foreign policy" but then again, before looking into actual feminist perspective I had prejudices about many things they said.

As said though, it's not really as if women have an entirely different way of dealing with foreign policy- by claiming to have a 'feminist foreign policy' (which is a total bs statement- since i'ts literally the same are any other style of policy) she's actually discounting all the historical female leaders who have played an active role in politics either directly or through their influence. If anything she's doing feminism a disservice by refusing then to recognize the important part these women have played in shaping historical events.

Incidentally i think she needs to define the type of feminism. Margaret Thatcher who held a position far higher than this woman was arguably one of the most aggressive both in practice and rhetoric leaders we've had in the UK since Churchill. So again i'm at a complete loss as to what she means by 'feminist' foreign policy. It's likely she doesn't know either... gain it's a nice catch-phrase for her to try and add to her legacy.

[dogukan]

As said though, it's not really as if women have an entirely different way of dealing with foreign policy- by claiming to have a 'feminist foreign policy' (which is a total bs statement- since i'ts literally the same are any other style of policy) she's actually discounting all the historical female leaders who have played an active role in politics either directly or through their influence. If anything she's doing feminism a disservice by refusing then to recognize the important part these women have played in shaping historical events.

Incidentally i think she needs to define the type of feminism. Margaret Thatcher who held a position far higher than this woman was arguably one of the most aggressive both in practice and rhetoric leaders we've had in the UK since Churchill. So again i'm at a complete loss as to what she means by 'feminist' foreign policy. It's likely she doesn't know either... gain it's a nice catch-phrase for her to try and add to her legacy.

I don't really disagree with the skepticism. All I am saying is that feminist perspective does not base itself on what your average lady thinks. In feminist perspective, women too can be a product of the society they live in. Feminist perspective is also about the deconstructing the meanings behind everything...female or male. Its not necessarily a appraisal of "femininity", its a critical form of thought. It attempts to judge things out of their face-value. It has enriched social science greatly by its epistemological stance since the 70s...though I still do not really know what the lady means by "feminist foreign policy".