Formal and Informal Institutions: Key Challenges in Analysis and Transformation

• In Event: Feminist Institutionalism at 10 years: New Perspectives on Transformative Change

Abstract

The first paper in this panel addresses three key challenges facing gender and politics scholars who are attempting to improve our understanding of formal and informal institutions with the aim of improving our capacity to changing and transforming those institutions, a key area of analysis for Feminist Institutionalist scholars. After giving a short outline of the key features of feminist institutionalism, it first explores the debates around how we can recognize, define and classify informal institutions and differentiate them from formal institutions. And in particular it asks what is the relationship between formal and informal institutions – is it for example a dichotomous one or rather, as some scholars argue, is there more of a continuum with formal and informal at either end of that continuum? The paper also considers how far feminist institutionalist analyses should expand their horizons to consider the larger category of ‘informality’. And then specify more clearly the various elements that fall within that category. For example networks are often studied together with informal institutions, but are they informal institutions in their own right or are they something slightly different – the bearers of institutions rather than the institutions themselves? Second, the paper asks how we might research informal institutions given that they are often difficult to recognize and actors can sometimes be unable or unwilling to divulge information to researchers. Finally the paper asks what are the implications for gender activists hoping to promote gender equality and transform institutions. For example are there any insights about the ways in which informality in all its different guises operates that can help efforts to change institutions in gender positive ways.

Author

• Georgina Waylen, University of Manchester