GENDER STUDIES RESEARCH LAB

The Gender Studies Research Lab was founded in 2011 and was led by a Joint Scientific Committee constituted by EKKE’s researchers Maria Thanopoulou, Joanna Tsiganou, Ioanna Papathanassiou and Manina Kakepaki. Since 2021, the Laboratory is run by a Joint Scientific Committee constituted by Manina Kakepaki (Coordinator), Ioanna Papathanasiou and Joanna Tsiganou. Originally the Lab aimed at conducting research and developing infrastructures in the field of gender relations and policies. Basic target of the laboratory is the theoretical and empirical investigation of public policies as well as the unravelling of the social, political, economic and cultural parameters underlying gender inequalities and discrimination. The Lab’s activities included the following:  


•    The documentation of the relevant research studies performed by the scientists of the Centre since its foundation.
•    The development of new methodologies and research tools for the monitoring and implementation of gender mainstreaming in public policies.
•    The collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data on gender issues in Greece.
•    The development of gender indicators in co-operation with EIGE (the European Institute of Gender Equality) and EKKE’s Data Bank.
•    The organizing of seminars, lectures and conferences.
•    The co-operation with universities, research centres and public agencies in Greece and abroad 
•    Τhe participation of the Laboratory in various research programmes on gender issues.
•    The dissemination of research outputs.

Currently, the Lab remains still one of the basic research units of the Institute of Political Research with enhanced mission and vision. Basic objective of the laboratory is the theoretical and empirical investigation of public policies, as well as the unravelling of the social, political, economic and cultural parameters underlying gender inequalities and discrimination. Until 2021, the scientific Areas covered by the Laboratory included the gender dimension in aspects such as:


•    Research, Science & Education
•    Politics
•    History and Memory
•    Crime and Violence
•    Employment
•    Family
•    Immigration
•    Social Policy

The main areas of activity of the Laboratory are:

•    Surveys
•    Networks
•    Databases
•    Publications
•    Bibliographies
•    Conferences - Workshops

Coordinator: Manina Kakepaki
Members: Ioanna Tsiganou – Ioanna Papathanasiou

Research Activities:

After 2021 and the creation of the Institute of Political Research, the Lab will prioritize activities related to: (a) Research, Science & Education, (b) Politics, (c) History and Memory and (d) Crime & Violence.


In the area of:


(a) Research, Science & Education, the Lab will be in close collaboration with the newly established Gender Equality Committee of EKKE. In 2022 the Lab plans to publish two research reports, jointly with EKKE’s GEC.
(1) A research report on Gender and Research in Greece, with an emphasis on the impact of crisis in Social Science.
(2) A research report on the evolution of scientific publications of Greek women researchers throughout the last three decades.
(b) Politics, the Lab will produce a series of infographics and reports on Gender and Political Representation in Greece, by using original data from the socioscope.gr platform.
(c) History and Memory, the Lab will the Lab will continue to collect women’s oral testimonies...
(d) Crime & Violence the lab in co-operation with the Crime-Lab of the Institute will continue studying gender-based violence in all its manifestations, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Research Projects (2012-today)

Principal Investigator: Ioanna Papathanassiou
Title of the research project: Women’s Oral Testimonies
Budget of the grant: 32.000 € (Source of funding: O.P. Public Sector Reform 2014-2020).
Starting and ending dates: 2021-2022

Principal Investigator: Joanna Tsiganou
Title of the research project: “Social representations, beliefs and stereotypes of violence against women in Contemporary Greece”
Funding Agency and funding Scheme: General Secretariat for Demography and Family Policy and Gender Equality – Research Centre for Gender Equality Issues. (ΚΕΘΙ) - Research Project – upon Commission
Amount of grant for the Team: 24.800 euros
Start date and end date: 6/7/2020 – 31/12/2021 (upon extension granted)

Principal Investigator: Joanna Tsiganou
Title of the research project: “Social representations, beliefs and stereotypes of violence against women in Contemporary Greece”
Funding Agency and funding Scheme: General Secretariat for Demography and Family Policy and Gender Equality – Research Centre for Gender Equality Issues. (ΚΕΘΙ) - Research Project – upon Commission
Amount of grant for the Team: 37.200 euros
Start date and end date: 1/12/2021 – 30/9/2022

Principal Investigator:  Tsiganou Joanna
Title of the research project: “Female Migration to Greece”.
Source of Funding: Ministry of Labour
Duration: 2011.

Principal Investigator:  Papathanasiou Ioanna
Title of the research project: "Mapping of women's archives throughout the country and recording of their material with the aim of enriching the Historical Archive of the Library of Gender Equality Issues with new material".
Source of funding: GSGE
Duration: 2012.

Principal Investigator: Papathanasiou I., Thanopoulou M.
Title of the research project: Collection of Oral Testimonies of Eminent Women and Informants on issues of Gender Equality and History of the Women's Fights.
Source of funding: GSGE
Duration: 2012-2013.

Principal Investigator: Papathanasiou I., Thanopoulou M.
Title of the research project: Women of the Balkans during the occupation. within the framework of the Greek-French Cooperation of EKKE with the Departments of Greek and Balkan Studies of the Institut National des Langues et Civilisation Orientales (INALCO) of France.
Duration: 2011-2013.

Principal Investigator: Balourdos D., I. Tsiganou
Title of the research project: Combating Discrimination in the Field of Entrepreneurship: Women and young Roma and Muslim immigrants.
Source of funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Justice Non-discrimination policies and Roma coordination: Call for Proposals under PROGRESS for action grants, JUST/2012/PROG/ AG/D4.
Duration 2012-2014.

Principal Investigator: Papathanasiou I., Thanopoulou M.
Title of the research project: Work-life balance in the context of changing families and the labour market in Greece.
Source of funding: Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009-2014.
Duration: 2015-6.

Principal Investigator: Thanopoulou M., I. Tsiganou
Basic research on the impact of the crisis on a category of professional women with a high level of education: academics and researchers, Athens, EKKE, 2014.

Principal Investigator: Thanopoulou M., I. Tsiganou
Basic research on the employment and unemployment of graduates of sociology departments in Greece during the crisis, Athens, EKKE, 2015.

Principal Investigator: Thanopoulou M., I. Tsiganou, Ch. Zachos
Basic research on the experience of the crisis by different categories of professional women, Athens, EKKE, 2015.

Principal Investigator: Thanopoulou M., I. Tsiganou.  
Basic research on the creation of presumptions of life through "selfie" type photographs, Athens, EKKE, 2015.

Principal Investigator: Thanopoulou M., I. Tsiganou, Ch. Zachos.
Basic research the experience of the crisis in three different generations of women, Athens, EKKE, 2016.

Networking and expertise

Kakepaki M. (Expertise as a representative of EKKE in the Eleni Skoura network) in the framework of the implementation of the project "Encouragement and support of the participation of women in positions of political responsibility and representation at the national and European policy level" Implementing Body: KETHI – Source of funding: E.P. Administrative Reform (2014-2015).

Kakepaki M. (National expert) on the research project “Study on area H of the Beijing Platform for Action - Institutional Mechanisms” (EIGE/2012/OPER/20), funded by the European Institute of Gender Equality (EIGE), 2013.
Tsiganou J. (national expert), EIGE, 2011.
Tsiganou J. Participation as an expert in the Training Institute of EKDDA in 2015, in the Implementation of Action 8: "Networking Workshops on Gender Equality Issues.  
Tsiganou J. (national expert), COST ACTION, «Femicide in Europe», 2013 – 2017.

Main Publications (2012-today)

Frangiskou Amalia, «Female lawyers. The equilibrium of two worlds – on the bench», in Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE, pg. 47-57.
Fronimou. Emmy, «Professional and family life of women judges. An incompatible relationship», in Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE, pg. 39-46.
Hadjiyanni, Andromachi, «Women sociologists. Family, employment, underemployment and unemployment in times of crisis», Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE, pg. 99-105.
Kakepaki, Manina, «Evaluation and assessment of public policies and practices on work-life balance in Greece», Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE, pg. 113-117.
Kondyli, Dimitra, «Profession beautician. Fragile balance between their ambitions and wishes, Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE», pg. 83-88.
Mouriki, Aliki, «Female doctors with under-age children in time of crisis. An endless role conflict», in Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE, pg. 67-75.
Papathanasiou, Ioanna, «The daughters of Clio between home and history. Women historians in academia», in: Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J.,(eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE, pp. 29-38.
Spyropoulou, Natalia, «Women architects and civil engineers facing underemployment, unemployment and the pursuit of work-life balance», Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE, pg. 89-97.
Stratoudaki, Hara, «Work-life balance for women pharmacists and critical changes in a profession ‘suitable’ for women», in Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE, pg. 77-82.
Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J. (2016), «Family and work of notary women. From safety to insecurity», Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J. (eds), Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance, Main results of case studies, Athens, National Centre for Social Research, pp. 59-65.
Varouxi, Christina, «A difficult reconciliation of family and work life for female public sector employees. A policy-oriented approach», Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J., (eds), (2016), «Gender in Science without Numbers. From academia to work-life balance. Main results of case studies», Athens, EKKE pg. 107-111.

Research reports (selection)

Thanopoulou M. Tsiganou I. In the framework of the project: "Work-life balance in the context of family change and the labour market in Greece", of the Programme "Diversity, Inequalities and Social Inclusion" - Academic Research in the priority areas, which is co-funded by the "Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009-2014" - "Key features of gender equality and promotion of work and personal equality  balance", in collaboration with the Family and Child Care Centre (KMOP) - (coordinating partner) and the Association for Women's Rights, three reports (interim and final), as follows:
a)    Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou I. (2016), Qualitative investigations. Interim report, research project "Work-life balance in the context of change in the family and the labour market in Greece", Athens, EKKE.
b)    Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou I. (2016), Qualitative investigations. Final report, research project "Work-life balance in the context of change in the family and the labour market in Greece", Athens, EKKE.
c)    Thanopoulou M., J. Tsiganou, (2016), WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN WOMEN PROFESSIONALS IN GREECE, UNDER CRISIS - Qualitative research approach, Athens, EKKE. 
Thanopoulou M., Papathanasiou I. in collaboration with A. Fragiskou (2013), Third deliverable: Conduct of 25 interviews with a representative sample of informants (volumes I, II, III), research project "Collection of oral testimonies of eminent women and informants on issues of gender equality and the history of women's struggles", Athens, National Center for Social Research.
Thanopoulou M., Papathanasiou I. in collaboration with A. Fragiskou (2012), Second deliverable: Collection of oral testimonies. The context and method. Research project "Collection of oral testimonies of eminent women and informants on gender equality issues and the history of women's struggles", Athens, National Centre for Social Research.
Thanopoulou M., Papathanasiou I. with the collaboration of A. Fragiskou (2012), First deliverable: Exhibition. The general framework for the establishment of the Archive of Oral Testimonies of Women in the Library of Gender Equality Issues. Research project. Collection of oral testimonies of eminent women and informants on gender equality issues and the history of women's struggles, Athens, National Centre for Social Research.
Papathanasiou I., Thanopoulou M. (2012), Report of results, Bibliography, signed licenses of holders of women's archives, lists of women's archives, list of the contents of women's archives (database on CD), research project "Mapping of Women's Archives throughout the country and recording of their material with the aim of enriching the Historical Archive of the Library of Gender Equality Issues with new material», Athens, National Centre for Social Research, 30 November 2012.
Papathanasiou I., Thanopoulou et al. (2012), A' deliverable of the research program Mapping of Women's Archives throughout the country and recording of their material with the aim of enriching the Historical Archive of the Library of Gender Equality Issues with new material, Athens, National Center for Social Research, October 2012.

Other dissemination activities (selection)

Kakepaki, M. (2013), "The participation of women in decision-making centres: The impact of the electoral system" in the framework of the project "Encouragement and support of women's participation in positions of political responsibility and representation at national and European level of policy" (implementing body: KETHI) Athens 15 October 2013.
Kakepaki, M. (2019). What does a woman need to get (re)elected at the Greek Parliament? Analyzing empirical data 1989-2019. Invitation at the workshop «Capacity building for women candidates and media stakeholders in public debates in Greece», NKUA, 9 November 2019.
Kakepaki, M. (2021. Political (under)representation in the Greek Parliament, 1989-2019: An empirical investigation. Presentation at the Workshop "Gender and Politics" of the student union for Gender and Equality of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 20 February 2021.  
Thanopoulou, Maria– Ioanna Tsiganou: «Du prestige à la dévalorisation:   la profession du notaire dans la Grèce de la crise», Γαλλικό Συνέδριο «15e Journées internationales de la Sociologie du travail (JIST)», Athènes le 11-13 mai 2016, CRISE (S) ET MONDES DU TRAVAL.
Papathanasiou I., "Women and prison: the experience of confinement" at an event organized by Astras Gallery and ASKI on the occasion of the exhibition of works by Zizi Makri, Astra Gallery, Athens, 29 May 2013.
Papathanasiou I., «Pratiques du quotidien dans les témoignages écrits des femmes». Colloque International “Témoignages des Balkans des années 40”, INALCO – EKKE, Παρίσι, 22-23 Νοεμβρίου 2013.
Papathanasiou, I. "Fofi Lazarou. The first girl", ef. Dawn, April 26, 2015. The text was republished in Fr. Archival, No. 17 (2015), pp. 193-194.
Papathanasiou, I. "Memories of the feminine gender" presentation of the book of Cleopatra Hadjisavva, I dream of the mountains and the cadavers, ef. Season - Themes, December 25, 2009.
Thanopoulou M. – Tsiganou I.: "The impact of the crisis on gender inequalities in Greece", at the Presentation Workshop of the Exhibition of the European Women's Lobby on the subject: "The price of austerity: The impact on women's rights and gender equality in Europe", Athens, 15 / 2 / 2013, Cultural Center of the Municipality of Athens.
Thanopoulou M., «Pratiques du quotidien dans la mémoire des survivants de la Guerre», Colloque International “Témoignages des Balkans des années 40”, INALCO – EKKE, Paris, 22-23 November 2013.
Thanopoulou M., Tsiganou J.: “Long-term non-prospects of employment: The case of social science graduates’ unemployment in contemporary Greece”, 36th Annual Conference of the International Working Party on Labour Market Segmentation (IWPLMS), Athens, Panteion University, 22-24 June 2015.
Thanopoulou Maria, Zahou Chrysa, Tsiganou Ioanna: "Education of generations and social knowledge: transfer of collective memory from generation to generation", at the 2nd PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE "Education and society in times of crisis", Rhodes 20-22 May 2016.
Tsiganou I., Thanopoulou M., "Pressures and dilemmas: A form of unseen daily violence against women", at the event entitled "Violence against Women, An extensive phenomenon and its unseen aspects", Municipality of Kifissia, 27/11/2017
Tsiganou I., Thanopoulou M., "The transformation of the notarial profession and the role of the researcher", at the 6th Conference of the Greek Sociological Society, entitled "Sociology and its public role in the era of the transformation of the world", Athens 30/3/2018, Harokopio University.
Tsiganou I., Thanopoulou M.: "Society and economy in Greece of the Crisis: The case of the Profession of Notary", at the 4th Conference of EPEES with the title "Greece and Europe in the Era of Economic Crisis", 31/3 – 1/4/2017, Athens, NKUA.
Tsiganou I., Thanopoulou Maria: "Active Ageing and Gender", at the Inaugural Event of the European Parliament's Information Office in Greece for the European Year of Active Ageing & Solidarity between Generations 2012, Athens, 2/3/2012.
Tsiganou I.: "Forms of Violence against Women", at an Event – Discussion of the Municipality of Metamorfosi, Attica, on the subject: "Forms of Violence against Women: Prevention and Treatment", 6 / 3 / 2013, Athens, Metamorphosis Town Hall.
Tsiganou I.: "Forms of violence against women: the case of domestic violence", in a workshop entitled: "Network for the promotion of gender equality and the confrontation of gender-based violence and social stereotypes", under the auspices of the Unesco Group, Municipality of Maroussi, Region of Attica, 24 / 4 / 2013, City Hall of Maroussi.
Tsiganou I.: "Violence in the Family: The case of abused women", in a workshop entitled: "The Woman as a Victim of Domestic Violence", Organized by K.O.C. / P.E. of Evia, 8 / 3 / 2013, Conference Center of the Regional Unit of Evia, Chalkida.
Tsiganou J., Thanopoulou M.: «Experiencing multi-dimensional disasters: the case of women notaries in Greece», RN08_04a_P: Globalisation, Liberalism and Economic Crisis: Experiencing Social Disasters, 13th ESA Conference, Athens, 29 Aug. – 01 Sept. 2017, Athens, Panteion University.
Tsiganou J., Thanopoulou M: “Women Academics Under Crisis: A New Field for Reflexivity”, Session RC32: “Women and the Economic Crisis: New Challenges and New Forms of Gender Inequalities”, in the XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 13-19, 2014), Yokohama, Japan.
Tsiganou J.: “Gender and Migration: The Greek Case”, Sociology Week 2014 on “Migration and Diasporas”, April 1-4, 2014, DEREE, The American college of Greece.
Tsiganou J.: “The Impact of Crisis on Gender Inequality: The Greek Case”, Greek Presidency, Conference on “Social inequalities in Europe”, GGET, PANTEION UNIVERSITY, EKKE, Auditorium of the Acropolis Museum, Athens, 20/6/2014.
Tsiganou Joanna – Thanopoulou Maria: “Creating life testimonies through mobile phones: glances on young people snap-shots”, International Visual Sociology Association’s, (IVSA) Annual Conference 25-27 June, Tinos Greece, Cultural Foundation of Tinos, 2014.