| CODE | CLS1225 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Gender and the World of Work | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Centre for Labour Studies | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Study-unit Aims: The broad aim of this study-unit is to enable students to understand how gender roles, gendered assumptions and gendered organisations lead to a gendered labour market where men continue to enjoy occupational privileges that give rise to employment and power gaps between women and men. In order to get a good grasp of how gender roles and gendered assumptions impact on work-life issues, the students are introduced to the nature vs nurture debate which is applied to work-life decisions. This is followed by a historical look at how the situation of women evolved and changed across time until present times. In order to understand why gender inequality at work remained so prevalent and so resistant to change, supply side and demand side theories are discussed. These include: Human Capital Theory; Theories of late modernity; Preference Theory; Mommy Track and Social Networks theory. Students will also be introduced to the concept of gender and organisation which will be explored through Joan Acker's theory of Gendered Organisations (1990). This theory enables students to understand how gendered organisational cultures affect work practices which perpetuate gender inequalities. Subsequently, students will be introduced to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) issued by the National Statistics Office. Here the labour market data will be analysed through the gender lens in order to point out the closing or persisting gender gaps in today’s labour market. Key terminology related to gender and the labour market will be presented and discussed with the students. Furthermore, the concept of the gender pay gap and its causes will be discussed with the students. In the final parts of the unit the students are given a brief overview of masculinities studies and the role of men in achieving gender equality is discussed whilst making reference to the tenets of masculinity and brining up issues related to men, work and care. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Analyse the effect that gender has on work and life decisions across time and how gender still shapes the Labour market and leads to gender power and employment gaps. - Recognise the difference between sex and nature and how gender roles are socially constructed. - Understand women’s evolution in the labour market across time. - Identify theories to explain the pending questions on the prevalence of gender inequality at work. - Be aware where to find gender disaggregated data related to the labour market. - Be conscious of specific terminology used in relation to gender inequality at work. - Be aware of the gender pay gap and its causes. - Recognise the main tenets of masculinity and men’s role in achieving equality at work and at home. 2. Skills-outcomes By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Explain the difference between sex and nature and how gender roles are socially constructed. - Give a historical overview of the evolution of women in the labour market across time. - List and critique supply side and demand side theories typically used to explain the pending questions on the prevalence of gender inequality at work. - Search for gender disaggregated data on the National Statistics Office (NSO) and Eurostat portals related to the labour market. - Describe key terminology related to gender and the labour market. - Explain the gender pay gap and its causes. - Define the main tenets of masculinity and explain the role of men in achieving equality at work and at home. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Acker, Joan (1998). The future of ‘Gender and Organizations’: Connections and Boundaries. Gender, Work and Organization 5 (4): 195-206. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. - Hakim, Catherine (2000). Work-Lifestyle Choices in the 21st Century: Preference Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press. - Khan, Jack, S. (2009). An Introduction to Masculinities (2009). UK - Wiley Blackwell. - Mackevièiûtë, Indrë (1995). Editor. Fathers on Parental Leave. Vilnius: Centre for Equality Advancement. Available at: http://www.etc.gov.mt/docs/Joint_Report.pdf. - Opinion on Men in Gender Equality, (July 2006). Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities between Women and Men, is available at: http://www.eu2006.fi/news_and_documents/conclusions/vko48/en_GB/1164987131570/. - Rapoport, Rhona, Bailyn Lottey, Fletcher K. Joyce and Pruitt H. Bettye (2002). Beyond Work-Family Balance. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass. - Schwartz, Felice,N. (1989). Management Women and the New Facts of Life. Available at: http://bss.sfsu.edu/naff/PA760/Schwartz.pdf://. - United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, The Role of Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality (2003). Report of the Expert Group Meeting in Brazil , 21st to 24th October 2003, is available at: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/men-boys2003/reports/Finalreport.PDF. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | |||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Anna Borg |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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