Feminist foreign policy: A comparative study of Nepal and Sweden

Abstract

This research was conceptualized to understand how gendered power relations affect international politics and foreign policy through predisposed notions and socially constructed gender norms and roles. Nepal’s foreign policy has primarily been dominated by dealing with geopolitical threats and discoursing on maintaining equidistance with its two neighbours- China and India. Its key occupance has been on how to assert its independence when two strong forces constantly pose a threat due to its landlockedness and trade dependence. In the wake of this scenario, a feminist foreign policy seems out of touch in the realpolitik being practised, and hence hardly any focus has been given to it- except for the recent quota system in politics, administration and other state structures and institutions. This research aims to delve deeper into how gender power relations undergird male dominated values and ethos in foreign policy on why it is necessary to bring about a radical change in the foreign policy of Nepal i.e. through a Feminist Foreign Policy. This research looks into Sweden’s feminist foreign policy, the framework it has adopted, and the areas of its operation. Through the gauging of how foreign policies of both countries differ and coincide, the research aims to enunciate the necessity of Nepali foreign policy to include women as active actors by building on feminist theory of international relations. Keywords: Feminism, Foreign Policy, Gender, International relations, Nepal, Sweden