Surveying Sisters: Women in a Traditional Male Profession

Surveying Sisters explores the question of whether 'more would mean 'better' for women surveyors themselves and for women as consumers of the built environment. It was a highly topical study at a time when the surveying profession was eager to attract more women to allay the effects of declining numbers of school leavers and potential 'manpower shortages.

Format: Hardback
Length: 242 pages
Publication date: 24 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Over the past few years, there has been a significant surge in the number of women entering the surveying profession. While the number of practicing surveyors who are women remains relatively low, accounting for less than five percent of the total workforce, a notable 20 percent of survey students are women. The book "Surveying Sisters," originally published in 1991, delves into the intriguing question of whether "more" would lead to "better" outcomes, both for women surveyors themselves and for women as consumers of the built environment.

Clara Greed, the author of this groundbreaking study, takes a deeply feminist approach and employs an ethnographic methodology to explore the experiences of individual women surveyors and examine the nature of the male-dominated profession. By integrating the gender, class, and spatial dimensions of the situation, Greed develops a robust theoretical framework that centers around the concept of surveying as a distinct professional subculture. She traces the historical roots of the profession, shedding light on its attitudes toward women, and offers constructive suggestions for improving the current position of women in surveying.

This study was particularly timely, as the surveying profession sought to attract more women to address declining numbers of school leavers and potential manpower shortages. It holds significant interest for individuals concerned with gender issues in disciplines such as sociology, management studies, higher education, urban geography, and women's studies. Moreover, it is a valuable resource for women and men who work in surveying and other built environment professions.

Weight: 630g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032284767