Dr Hakim tests the power of patriarchy theory against economic and psychophysiology theories. Sex discrimination, part-time work, flexible hours, homeworking, marriage and career patterns, labour mobility, labour turnover and the impact of the European Union are all considered. Analysis of the grand sweep of history over the last century, based on large national surveys, is complemented by case studies of people working in occupations undergoing change and their resistance to it. Throughout the book comparisons are drawn between Britain, the USA, and other European countries and also China, Japan and other Far Eastern societies. The analysis draws on sociology, economics, psychology, labour law, history and anthropology to conclude that female heterogeneity is increasing, explaining the growing polarisation of women's employment and many contradictory research results
This book tackles the challenges that women face in the workplace generally and in the public sector particularly. While it spends time identifying and describing the problems that women faced in the past, it pays special attention to identifying possible remedies to these problems, and also surveys progress made in recent decades.
Women's employment is one of the most widely-discussed and often-misunderstood issues of modern society. Are women today oppressed, or do they have the best of both worlds? Do women have to go out to work to gain equality with men, or do they already do more than their share of domestic work, caring work and voluntary work as well as work in the informal economy? Do women seek careers on the same terms as men, or are they content to be dependent wives or secondary earners taking jobs on a short-term basis? How important is job segregation in explaining the 20% pay gap between men and women? Have equal opportunities laws had any real impact? Are women in Europe lagging behind, or are they at the forefront of developments in modern societies? This new updated edition of Catherine Hakim's classic text addresses all the key issues currently debated in relation to women's work - in the domestic sphere, as well as paid employment. Dr Hakim tests the power of patriarchy theory and preference theory against economic theories. Sex discrimination, work-life balance, part-time work, flexible hours, homeworking, career patterns across the life cycle, labour mobility, labour turnover, the returns to education, occupational segregation, the pay gap, the glass ceiling, and the impact of European Union policies are all considered. Analysis of historical developments over the twentieth century, based on censuses, is complemented by case studies of people working in occupations undergoing dramatic change. Throughout the book, comparisons are drawn between the USA, Britain, other European countries, Canada, Australia, and also China, Japan and other Far Eastern societies. The analysis draws on sociology, economics, psychology, labour law, history and social anthropology to conclude that the diversity of women's life goals and lifestyle preferences is increasing. This explains the growing polarisation of women's employment and many contradictory recent research results.
An informative and important volume. Johanna Kumlin, European Sociological Review This collection further contributes to our awareness of the complicated intersection of work and family life for women and men and to a few of the socio-economic factors which serve as impediments to its synchronization. It is well written, carefully researched, and rather detailed in its analysis. Susan Cody, Sex Roles This excellent collection deserves to be read, and from cover to cover. . . all the contributions focus on the UK situation over the past 25 years, although some offer comparative exemplars and analysis. This national focus makes this collection an essential resource for those working in the UK (and Europe). But, the general empirical excellence of the collection, as well as the theoretical insights generated in some of the chapters, make this an essential collection for anyone interested in gender and work. Lesley Patterson, Gender in Management: An International Journal There cannot be a richer collection than this on the topic of women, their employment conditions and how they balance home and work life. . . a valuable resource that can be returned to for hard statistics and proven solutions you can use in your own policy creation. Equality and Diversity This collection will be an invaluable resource for anyone concerned with changes in women s employment over the last twenty-five years. Authoritative and up to date, it is simultaneously wide-ranging and focused, analytical and policy oriented. The editors have brought together the knowledge of many renowned experts to reflect on labour market developments and gendered employment. Attention to transitions across the life course is a particularly welcome feature of the book, as is the linking of employment studies with family research. Miriam Glucksmann, University of Essex, UK How is women s employment shaped by family and domestic responsibilities? This book, written by leading experts in the field, examines twenty-five years of change in women s employment and addresses the challenges facing women today. The authors offer an innovative analysis of how global changes including new migration processes, educational expansion, transnational labour markets, technological advances and the global economy affect women s labour market experiences. They tackle issues relevant for future change, including gender inequalities and ethnic diversities, and confront contentious questions such as what is meant by work life balance. The book provides new empirical research that both advances our understanding of the challenges posed by women s employment in our changing society and draws out the policy lessons that could improve economic and social wellbeing. Providing dynamic analysis of employment family inter relationships, Women and Employment will be of great relevance to social scientists and academics interested in employment and family as well as policymakers concerned with changing women s employment.
Women increasingly make up a significant percentage of the labor force throughout the world. This transformation is impacting everyone's lives. This book examines the resulting gender role, work, and family issues from a comparative worldwide perspective. Working allows women to earn an income, acquire new skills, and forge social connections. It also brings challenges such as simultaneously managing domestic responsibilities and family relationships. The social, political, and economic implications of this global transformation are explored from an interdisciplinary perspective in this book. The commonalities and the differences of women’s experiences depending on their social class, education, and location in industrialized and developing countries are highlighted throughout. Practical implications are examined including the consequences of these changes for men. Engaging vignettes and case studies from around the world bring the topics to life. The book argues that despite policy reforms and a rhetoric of equality, women still have unique experiences from men both at work and at home. Women, Work, and Globalization explores: Key issues surrounding work and families from a global cross-cultural perspective. The positive and negative experiences of more women in the global workforce. The spread of women’s empowerment on changes in ideologies and behaviors throughout the world. Key literature from family studies, IO, sociology, anthropology, and economics. The changing role of men in the global work-family arena. The impact of sexual trafficking and exploitation, care labor, and transnational migration on women. Best practices and policies that have benefited women, men, and their families. Part 1 reviews the research on gender in the industrialized and developing world, global changes that pertain to women’s gender roles, women’s labor market participation, globalization, and the spread of the women’s movement. Issues that pertain to women in a globalized world including gender socialization, sexual trafficking and exploitation, labor migration and transnational motherhood, and the complexities entailed in care labor are explored in Part 2. Programs and policies that have effectively assisted women are explored in Part 3 including initiatives instituted by NGOs and governments in developing countries and (programs) policies that help women balance work and family in industrialized countries. The book concludes with suggestions for global initiatives that assist women in balancing work and family responsibilities while decreasing their vulnerabilities. Intended as a supplemental text for advanced undergraduate and/or graduate courses in Women/Gender Issues, Work and Family, Gender and Families, Global/International Families, Family Diversity, Multicultural Families, and Urban Sociology taught in psychology, human development and family studies, gender and/or women’s studies, business, sociology, social work, political science, and anthropology. Researchers, policy makers, and practitioners in these fields will also appreciate this thought provoking book.
This volume makes the case for the fair treatment of female migrant workers from the global South who are employed in wealthy liberal democracies as care workers, domestic workers, home health workers, and farm workers. An international panel of contributors provide analyses of the ethical, political, and legal harms suffered by female migrant workers, based on empirical data and case studies, along with original and sophisticated analyses of the complex of systemic, structural factors responsible for the harms experienced by women migrant workers. The book also proposes realistic and original solutions to the problem of the unjust treatment of women migrant workers, such as social security systems that are transnational and tailored to meet the particular needs of different groups of international migrant workers.
