Gender, Work and Social Theory: The Critical Consequences of the Cultural Turn

Kate Huppatz's book explores how feminist sociology dismantles dualistic understandings of gender and scrutinizes the workings of power. It examines continuities and departures in research on gender in organizations, unpaid domestic labor, and paid and unpaid care work, and considers the intersectionality of inequality in the workplace. Case examples are drawn from North America, Australasia, and the UK, and the book emphasizes the importance of theoretical understandings in furthering empirical research about gender and work.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 18 May 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Gender is a complex and multifaceted concept that is signified, produced, and reproduced through a combination of paid and unpaid labor. It is deeply intertwined with other forms of disadvantage, such as race, class, and sexuality, and operates through a range of interactions, emotions, and bodies. In this original synthesis of social theory and its application to gender and work, Kate Huppatz draws from classical theory and principles of the 'cultural turn' to explore how feminist sociology dismantles dualistic understandings of gender and scrutinizes the workings of power.

Huppatz takes a comprehensive approach to examining gender and work, covering a wide range of topics such as gender inequality in the workplace, unpaid domestic labor, and paid and unpaid care work. She reflects upon continuities and departures in cutting-edge research on gender within organizations, unpaid domestic labor, and paid and unpaid care work, and pays close attention to pressing issues such as the intersectionality of inequality in the workplace, the relationship between micro activities and larger social processes, and the impact of Covid-19 on exposing and exacerbating the gendered inequalities of work.

To illustrate social theory in practice, Huppatz uses case examples drawn from North America, Australasia, and the UK. These examples provide concrete examples of how social theory can be applied to understand the complexities of gender and work. Throughout the book, Huppatz emphasizes the importance of theoretical understandings in furthering empirical research about gender and work. She also considers the gendered division of labor within the study of work and employment itself, and explores how this division shapes the experiences and opportunities of women and men in the workplace.

This key new addition to the 'Themes in Social Theory' series is an essential read for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers interested in this area of study across a wide range of disciplines. It provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the field, while also offering insights and perspectives that will be of interest to scholars and practitioners alike.

Weight: 304g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350369931