(En-)gendering Water Diplomacy

The introduction starts with a short review of the existing literature on gender and transboundary waters. It discusses and defines the main terms and concepts used throughout the book, such as transboundary water governance, water diplomacy, gender, and masculinities. In order to substantiate the claim that transboundary water governance is not gender neutral, but a highly masculinised field, it analyses the fields of diplomacy and water resources management. This analysis shows that not only are the positions in this field mainly held by men, but also that the core ideas, values, and guiding principles of these fields, as well as the norms of professionalism that are presented as neutral, are shaped by men and are based on male experiences. The chapter further reflects on what a feminist perspective on transboundary water governance means and provides an overview of the different parts of this book and the individual chapters.