Theories of vertical segregation in feminized occupations : rethinking dominant perspectives and making use of Bourdieu

Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperChapter

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Feminized occupations such as nursing, teaching, social work and librarianship are gendered because they are numerically dominated by women and aligned with femininity. They are also gendered because men have long secured a disproportionate number of the senior and powerful positions within the upper echelons of these fields. This chapter is concerned with this second process – vertical segregation. Vertical segregation is a widespread social problem that exists in all economies and across diverse occupations and is a particularly vexing feature of feminized occupations. As Anker (1997, p. 136) identifies, occupational segregation is problematic because excluding parts of the population from workforce positions is a waste of human resources and it indicates that the labour market is inflexible and so unable to adapt efficiently to change. Sectorial segmentation is also obviously disadvantageous to women: it impacts women’s income and statuses as well as the ways they are viewed by others and the ways women view themselves. What is more, this is a longstanding issue; occupational segregation is a problem that has plagued the workforce since women first entered the labour market and it is an issue that still demands research and theorizing because we do not yet understand exactly how it is perpetuated or how it might be resolved.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHandbook of Gendered Careers in Management: Getting In, Getting On, Getting Out
EditorsAdelina M. Broadbridge, Sandra L. Fielden
Place of PublicationU.K.
PublisherEdward Elgar
Pages179-193
Number of pages15
ISBN (Electronic)9781782547709
ISBN (Print)9781782547686
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Keywords

  • employment
  • sex discrimination in employment
  • sex role in the work environment
  • women

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