ABSTRACT
We started this book by stipulating the objective to be a discussion of if and to what extent we can see changing gender relations in working life. In the book we present studies that are focusing on different analytical levels and are situated in different socio-economic settings. In the long perspective it has happened a lot, women’s employment levels have increased and occupations do change their gender composition. But to what extent can we say that the power relations between the genders have changed in working life? Can we say that the divisions in work tasks are changing, that the ideas and values concerning what are female and male tasks are different? Are the interactions between women and men in workplaces different and have our inner mental perception of what women and men shall do changed? Joan Acker uses the concept ‘ports of entry’ when analysing the genderization processes in organizations (Acker, 1999). She says that it is not only how we put the demarcation lines and divides the work processes between women and men; it is also our values and ideologies, our actions and interactions with each other and how we relate mentally to these actions that form the gendering organizational processes. And one question is of course under what conditions new sets of values can develop. Let us turn back to the discussion in the introductory chapter on openings for change. Do our authors give us any hopeful examples of developments towards a more egalitarian working life?
