New article by K. Kočí et al.: Three types of welfare regime in diplomacy: gender policies in European ministries of foreign affairs
Kočí, K., (she/her), Devine Mildorfová, J., (she/her), & Dopita, T., (he/him). (2026). Three types of welfare regime in diplomacy: gender policies in European ministries of foreign affairs. International Feminist Journal of Politics, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616742.2026.2725680
Abstract: This study investigates the emancipatory potential of institutional welfare policies that may influence gender representation within state foreign services. It develops the argument that appropriate recognition of maternity rights for female diplomats and diplomatic spouses’ social and employment rights in the ministerial institutional structure has profound implications for the ability of women to pursue their careers in diplomacy. Combining this assumption with the feminist approach to welfare regimes, the article proposes a typology of three ideal welfare regimes in foreign service – (1) the sole breadwinner family, (2) the laissez-faire regime, and (3) the dual breadwinner family – and examines a collection of sources on 15 European ministries of foreign affairs. The proposed typology facilitates a shift from the commonly used single-case research design to a multiple-case research approach. This shift enhances comparative analysis and the examination of general trends in the study of diplomatic institutional structures. At a practical level, the study emphasizes the need for the transition to a supportive regime in order to move toward greater gender equality in European foreign services.