Genesis of a Transnational Field of Expertise on Gender and Minorities in the EU Polity. for a Socio-Historical Research Agenda - Concepts, Objectives and Methodology

This paper will discuss our doctoral research agenda aims at tracking down the genesis of a transnational field of expertise on « gender equality » and « discrimination against minorities » within the EU polity (1970-2000). A sociological stance is taken to map out a system of positions, agents and institutions in focusing on biographical trajectories and historicisation of categories. The notion of field, theorised by Pierre Bourdieu, allows for an understanding of what brings and keeps together a narrow set of actors - academics and experts, cause lawyers, lobbying’ policy officers, European Commission officials, member of the European parliaments, etc.– influencing EU equality policy frame. A socio-historical inquiry leads to contend that this field has been gradually consolidated since the 1970's through activism of women’s cause entrepreneurs situated at the intersection of many political, administrative, academic and legal arenas. First sketches depict how these pioneers gained specific symbolic capital through their « achievements » for women’s rights within the EU legal framework. It also contributed around 1990 to pave the way for new mobilisations calling for the protection of other minority groups such as ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, aged persons, LGBT groups, etc. That dynamic of differentiation seemed to encourage a competition between pioneers and newcomers to control over symbolic resources that ensures a preferential access to the EU institutions recognition. Particularly, the paper will exemplify how path dependencies have held back these newcomers regarding the forms of organisation, the types of policy tool and the legal instruments they could claim without risking exclusion.