Guest editorial introduction : gender, politics and development in the small states of the Pacific

Abstract

Gender has been a key focus of donor activism, domestic politics and academic commentary in the Pacific region over recent decades. The prevailing narrative highlights deficits, including the persistent absence of women from formal political representation, and the adverse consequences for economic and social development. This special section draws together papers that explore the nexus between gender, politics and development in the small states of the Pacific. Taken together, all the papers highlight the enduring need for a gendered lens in the study of politics and development in the region and beyond, while also complicating the deficit narrative by illustrating how gender relations are changing rapidly. In doing so the contributions reveal gaps and disjuncture in existing theoretical debates.