In July 2015, Dr. Ingrid Bego, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Hastings College, published a new book entitled Gender Equality Policy in the European Union: A Fast Track to Parity for the New Member States.
Dr. Bego’s main focus throughout the book is the effect the European Union (EU) has had on its new member states by enhancing democratic values, such as requiring the enforcement of gender equality and equal employment laws in order to obtain membership into the European Union.
“The book project came out of my dissertation work,” said the native of Albania who earned her PhD at Washington State University. “While writing my dissertation, my mentors and professors at the time encouraged me to envision the work that I was writing as a book. That really helped set me up from the beginning.”
With all the excitement of writing and finally publishing her first book, Dr. Bego’s main goal for the readers is to have a better understanding of the concepts she covers throughout.
She said, “I hope people understand the on-going developments in the post-communist world, with its challenges and at times advantages. I also hope that people are able to grasp how the intense process of EU membership has transformed the region in the last 20 years, including issues of gender equality. Democracy with all of its perks is difficult. However, when actors from below are active and their interests collide with the goals of international organizations from above, successful outcomes are possible”.
After obtaining her PhD and moving to Nebraska n 2012 to teach at Hastings College, she waited for the book’s publication– a process which took more than a year.
A copy of the book is available at Hastings College’s Perkins Library and through Palgrave Macmillan at http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/gender-equality-policy-in-the-european-union-ingrid-bego/?isb=9781137437167.
