Gender Discrimination in Swedish Governmental Exercise of Authority: Vignette studies from Social Services and Swedish Social Insurance Agency.

Abstract: Exercise of authority is generally conducted by people with incomplete or unreliable information. This creates a potential hotbed ground for discriminatory behavior. The seminar presents three different vignette studies; two from social services (family courts) and one from Swedish Social Insurance Agency (SSIA). In the two family court studies, a classic vignette methodology was used where hypothetical custody evaluations were presented and the participants reported their recommendations. In the family court studies, classical gender discrimination vignettes were used. In the SSIA study, a new type of vignette was used by varying the outcome (approve vs. deny), and the participants were asked to rate  overall quality, transparency, reproducibility and logical validity of the investigation. The results are discussed in terms of selective discrimination in family courts, and arbitrary decision-making in exercise of authority in SSIA.

Link to Zoom presentation