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The Disappearance of a Gender Gap: Tolerance and Liberalism in Denmark from 1971 to 1990
Author(s) -
Togeby Lise
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
scandinavian political studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-9477
pISSN - 0080-6757
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9477.1994.tb00049.x
Subject(s) - gender gap , politics , socialization , significant difference , demographic economics , gender studies , political culture , political science , liberalism , demography , sociology , psychology , developmental psychology , medicine , law , economics
Bad on data from Denmark, the paper examines the development of gender differences in political tolerance during the 1970s and 1980s. There was a large gender gap in tolerance at the beginning of the 1970s. which had totally disappeared by the end of the 1980s. The analysis shows that at the beginning of the 1970s. the gender gap is partly explained by differences in political involvement. Interpreted as a result of the different political socialization of men and women. However. part of the difference is unchanged by any control. and this “unexplained” difference is interpreted as the result of a specific female culture. Against this background, it is surprising that the gender difference in political tolerance has vanished only twenty years later. The paper argues that, during these twenty years. a cultural shift has taken place in Denmark. merging the female and male cultures. and eliminating the hitherto ‘unexplained’ gender difference.