ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a theoretical approach to the explanation of national differences in the employment behaviour of women that includes the dimension of socio-cultural influences as a substantial part of the explanation. It describes the main social processes that together work to influence women's decisions to seek gainful employment. The chapter explores the concept of 'representative culture' as conceived of by Friedrich H. Tenbruck. It discusses the gender culture those norms and values within the 'representative culture' that refer to the desirable, 'normal' form of gender relations and the division of labour between women and men. In Western Europe, there are considerable differences with regard to the participation of women in the labour force. The majority of theoretical approaches used to explain national differences in the labour force participation of women have been developed within the framework of a relatively new feminist discourse in the sociology of social policy.
