ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the importance of gender in the structuring and negotiation of social relations in Europe, and illustrates some of the many ways in which gendered geographies of Europe can be explored. It looks at the ways in which the category of gender is 'disrupted' by focusing upon how gender is negotiated differently in and through different places and the ways in which places become gendered. The chapter describes women's experiences to highlight the issues raised when gender is taken seriously as a category through which to think about the geographies of Europe. The intersections of geography and patriarchy discriminate against women in different ways across Europe. However, women may also resist their prescribed gender roles and challenge gender assumptions including their allocation to 'appropriate geographies', such as the home. Duncan expands upon Walby's theorization of patriarchy to incorporate the idea of a gender contract. Even where participation rates are high, there is considerable 'gender segregation' of employment.
