Performance of male versus female-led governments during COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of Denmark and Slovakia

Bc. Ema Zorkóczyová

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Diplomová práca analyzuje, či pohlavie politických lídrov ovplyvnilo spôsob akým zvládli boj s globálnou pandémiou vírusu COVID-19 v roku 2020. Skúmanými krajinami boli Dánsko, ktorého politickou líderkou bola žena, a Slovensko, ktorého politickým lídrom bol muž. Na-priek podobnostiam v demografii bol priebeh pandémie v roku 2020 v krajinách značne odlišný, najmä pre rozdielne prístupy politických líd-rov v boji proti nej. Komparatívna analýza však ukázala, že samotné pohlavie lídra nie je dostatočným vysvetlením úspechu jednej krajiny a neúspechu druhej a že k tomuto výsledku pravdepodobne prispeli aj ďalšie faktory.

Abstract:

The thesis analyses whether the gender of the political leader affected the way they handled the global pandemic of the virus COVID-19 in 2020. The countries that were selected for this research are Denmark, led by a woman, and Slovakia, led by a man. Despite similarities in demographics, the course of the pandemic in 2020 was rather different, mainly due to the difference in approaches of the political leaders. However, the comparative analysis showed that the gender itself is not a sufficient explanation of the success of one country and failure of the other and that potentially other factors contributed to such a result.

Keywords

gender, štýly vládnutia, globálna pandémia, COVID-19, Dánsko, Slovensko, komparatívna analýza, leadership styles, global pandemic, Denmark, Slovakia, comparative analysis

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 23. 5. 2022

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 13. 6. 2022
• Supervisor: prof. PhDr. Vít Hloušek, Ph.D.
• Reader: doc. PhDr. Petr Kaniok, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
European Studies / European Studies