Equal opportunity policy and feminist political science: The "invisible avant-garde" of governance research?

In Germany equal opportunity policy has been conducted from the beginning by forms of regulation, which are currently the subject of governance research. Feminist political science can thus offer important answers to the core questions of this new research perspective. By drawing on the main results of feminist research, the authors first clarify the boundaries of governance in the areas law, the economy, and social policy. Specifically, the diversity of forms and modes of governance will be illustrated for policies concerning wage equality, equality in childcare, and in administrative policy. In the conclusion the authors address the synergetic effects and the common concerns of feminist political science and governance research.