Biopolitics of educative centers closing from gender equality perspective: The cases of Spain and Sweden

Abstract

One of the political measures to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic of special interest due to its broad global reach and its implications for gender inequality is the closure of educational centers. From a gender perspective basis, this work analyzes the policies for the closure of educational centers as political strategies for response and prevention to the Covid-19 pandemic in Spain and Sweden. Based on Didier Fassin's conception of biopolitics articulated with Judith Butler's performative concept of gender as theoretical starting point, this research analyzed national statistics, government reports, and educational policies during the March-November 2020 period in both countries. This research shows that, despite the differences of the two selected national models, the educational centers closures has resulted in similar effects on contagion and population mortality. In both cases, the closure has contributed to the deepening of already existing gender inequalities in each society. The study demonstrates the need to develop studies on the closure of educational centers as a strategy to control the pandemic from an intersectional gender perspective.