Die Metamorphosen der Gleichheit in der Europäischen Union

During the last 50 years, the European Union’s meaning of gender equality constantly is in flux. This paper aims at examining the metamorphosis in two steps. (1) While relating the equal pay norm (1957) to the common market idea, its codification is reconstructed through the impact of global norms. (2) Changing to the European level, we reconstruct its interpetration and the way it was enforced. The metamorphosis of gender equality norms makes clear that the latter are deeply embedded in the institutional structure of the emerging supranational system: While gender equality is legitimized by the idea of the common market, its enforcement follows European authority. After 1945, a new reference structure of gender equality norms was established accordingly, transcending national levels. In their approach, both world society theory and sociology of gender should address this still emerging structure.