The Institute for Public Affairs issued a new publication She and He in Slovakia. Gender and Age in the Period of Transition. It was written by the team of eight authors headed by Zora Bútorová. The team of authors included Monika Bosá, Zora Bútorová, Jarmila Filadelfiová, Oľga Gyárfášová, Milan Minarovič, Martina Sekulová, Sylvia Šumšalová, and Marián Velšic.

The book is the result of a project called Plus for Women 45+ within the EU Community Initiative EQUAL, number 95/04-I/33-4.1, financed by the European Social Fund. This project was carried out by the Institute of Public Affairs (lead partner), FOCUS Agency, EsFem civic association and Hlava 98 civic association. The project leader was Zora Bútorová, PhD.

The book summarizes the findings of the whole research endeavor in 2005 – 2008. The previous three publications within the project included Ženy, muži a vek v štatistikách trhu práce [Women, Men and Age in Labor Market Statistics], authored by Jarmila Filadelfiová and edited by Zora Bútorová (2007); Tu a teraz: sondy do života žien 45+ [Here and Now. Probes into the Lives of Women 45+], edited by Zora Bútorová and authored by Jana Andruchová, Zora Bútorová, Janka Debrecéniová, Lýdia Marošiová, Martina Sekulová and Sylvia Šumšalová (2007), and Ona a on na Slovensku. Zaostrené na rod a vek [She and He in Slovakia. Focused on Gender and Age], which is a Slovak version of the current publication written by the same team of authors in 2008.

On its 342 pages, the publication features ample factual material based on hard statistical data as well as on data from qualitative and quantitative sociological surveys that allows a reflection on the gender order of Slovak society, on the similarities and differences in the life situation of women and men, but also on how they perceive, interpret and cope with their social status and gender roles. That is why the book literally teems with numbers and facts. Its 153 tables and 117 graphs help the readers to grasp the life situations, opportunities, opinions and behavioral patterns of Slovak women and men from multiple perspectives.

The book bears a similar title and presents a follow-up of the publication released in 2006 by Zora Bútorová et al. under the title She and He in Slovakia. Gender Issues in Public Opinion. It presents comparative data that provide the picture of continuity and changes during the last decade.

The new book She and He in Slovakia. Gender and Age in the Period of Transition encompasses following eight chapters:

1. Women and men in lights of society’s expectations
2. Women, men and the increasing diversity of life
3. Active ageing as a challenge
4. Work in the life of women and men
5. Gender equality in public perception
6. Women, men and the private sphere
7. Women and men in public life and politics
8. Image of women in Slovak media.

The book’s cover features the artwork of Ilona Németh, one of Slovakia’s leading visual artists. This was the outcome of our cooperation with art historian Zuzana Bartošová, who picked works of art by four outstanding Slovak female artists for all four publications released within the framework of the project. The book includes also an essay about their artistic output written by this prominent art historian.

To order the publication She and He in Slovakia. Gender and Age in the Period of Transition, please contact Peter Pavilek pavilek@ivo.sk .

Download: She and He in Slovakia. Gender and Age in the Period of Transition. (PDF file, 1544 KB)

Book reviews:

Read the review of this book in Slovak Sociological Review, Vol. 41 No 6, Spring 2009

Read the review of this book in ASPASIA. International Yearbook for Women’s and Gender History of Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, Volume 4 – 2010.