The Contextual Challenges of Occupational Sex Segregation [electronic resource] : Deciphering Cross-National Differences in Europe /
Steinmetz, Stephanie.author.
This study untangles the complex interplay of individual and contextual factors shaping cross-national differences in horizontal and vertical occupational sex segregation. It relates the individual factors affecting occupational decisions to the broader social and economic context within a given society. Following this approach, Stephanie Steinmetz provides a comprehensive overview of the development and causes of cross-national differences in occupational sex segregation. She offers insights into the positioning of 21 EU Members States, particularly of former CCE countries. Based on advanced multi-level models, the study shows that institutional factors, such as the organization of educational systems, post-industrial developments, social policies, and the national ‘gender culture’, play a crucial role in shaping sex segregation processes apart from individual factors. The author clarifies that a distinct set of institutional factors is relevant to each of the two dimensions of occupational sex segregation and that these factors operate in different directions: some reduce horizontal segregation while at the same time aggravating the vertical aspect. Finally, the study assesses the empirical findings from a political perspective by addressing the future contextual challenges of EU Member States seeking to attain higher gender equality on the labour market.
Description based upon print version of record.
Acknowledgments; Contents; Tables; Figures; 1 The state of the art in occupational sex segregation research; 1.1. A short review of issues in occupational sex segregation research; 1.1.1. Different working spheres occupational sex typing and concentration; 1.1.2. Development of occupational sex segregation change or persistence?; 1.1.3. Occupational sex segregation across nations; 1.2. Occupational sex segregation and European gender policies; 1.3. Research questions; 1.4. Data and limitations of the study; 1.5. Outline; 2 Explaining occupational sex segregation
2.1. Neo-classical theories of human capital2.2. Sociological and feminist theories; 2.3. Segmentation and institutional theories; 2.4. The importance of education for occupational sex segregation; 2.5. The rationale for an integrated approach to occupational sex segregation; 2.6. Conclusion; 3 The problem of the measurement of sex segregation revisited; 3.1. The different approaches to the measurement of occupational sex segregation; 3.1.1. The traditional indices; 3.1.2. The log-linear approach; 3.1.3. Further determinants on segregation indices
3.2. Learning from advances in mobility research the multi-dimensionality of occupational sex segregation3.3. Conclusion; 4 Female labour force participation and patterns of occupational sex segregation in Europe; 4.1. Female employment in the EU developments and characteristics; 4.1.1. Development of female employment; 4.1.2. Characteristics of female employment in the EU; 4.2. The development of occupational sex segregation throughout the 90s; 4.2.1. Which countries are most segregated? Some descriptive results
4.2.2. Where do women and men work? Dimensions of occupational sex segregation in 2004 The sex typing of the labour market4.2.3. The development of occupational sex segregation over the 90s83; 4.3. The vertical dimension of occupational sex segregation gender stratification throughout the labour market; 4.3.1. Reaching management and high-status positions; 4.3.2. The gender wage gap; 4.4. The national institutional context; 4.4.1. The role of education and training systems; 4.4.2. The role of welfare states: gender legislation and social policies
4.4.3. 'Gender culture' the role of social-cultural norms and attitudes4.5. Conclusion; 5 Variations in occupational sex segregation across EU Member States creating a typology of 'sex segregation regimes'; 5.1. Previous typologies of occupational sex segregation; 5.2. A refined typology of cross-national occupational sex segregation; 5.3. Data and methods; 5.4. Characteristics of sex segregation regimes; 5.4.1. Presentation of findings; 5.4.2. Sensitivity analysis of the cluster solutions; 5.5. Conclusion and further expectations with respect to occupational sex segregation
6 Institutional constraints on cross-national differences in occupational sex segregation136
Diss.--University of Mannheim, 2009.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 263-288).
This study untangles the complex interplay of individual and contextual factors shaping cross-national differences in horizontal and vertical occupational sex segregation. It relates the individual factors affecting occupational decisions to the broader social and economic context within a given society. Following this approach, Stephanie Steinmetz provides a comprehensive overview of the development and causes of cross-national differences in occupational sex segregation. She offers insights into the positioning of 21 EU Members States, particularly of former CCE countries. Based on advanced multi-level models, the study shows that institutional factors, such as the organization of educational systems, post-industrial developments, social policies, and the national ‘gender culture’, play a crucial role in shaping sex segregation processes apart from individual factors. The author clarifies that a distinct set of institutional factors is relevant to each of the two dimensions of occupational sex segregation and that these factors operate in different directions: some reduce horizontal segregation while at the same time aggravating the vertical aspect. Finally, the study assesses the empirical findings from a political perspective by addressing the future contextual challenges of EU Member States seeking to attain higher gender equality on the labour market.
Sociology.
Social structure.
Social inequality.
Sociology, general.
Social Structure, Social Inequality.