Using Gender Quotas to Legitimise Non-Democracies : A critical discourse analysis of the Algerian gender quota

Sammanfattning: This thesis examines a gender quota in Algeria to determine if signs can be found that it was adopted to improve the regime’s image, rather than to empower women. Such symbolic gender reforms are also known as autocratic gender-washing and are problematic as they are generally viewed as democratisation efforts but have no such effect. In the case of autocratic gender-washing neither democracy nor women benefit as it only serves to legitimate an authoritarian regime. This thesis has a feminist institutionalist analytical perspective which serves to understand the gendered nature of institutions, the relationship between formal and informal institutions, and how they undergo change. There is also an assumption that descriptive representation should lead to substantive representation for gender quotas to be successful. The case of Algeria is chosen as it is considered an authoritarian regime but implemented a relatively drastic gender quota at 30% reserved seats, which they abolished after only ten years, in 2021. Women’s issues in Algeria are examined to better understand what benefits women as a group prioritised. This contextualisation reveals what topics to analyse to reveal genuine gender reform or autocratic gender-washing. A critical discourse analysis is conducted to find signs of whether the quota benefitted women as well as if the regime was given credit for it. The thesis finds that there are signs of autocratic gender-washing but also cautious suggestions of women benefitting from reform through adjusted policy design.