Suchergebnisse

Seldom do we notice, let alone explicitly acknowledge, that public policies set distinct parameters for gender. But as Creating Gender compellingly demonstrates, in reality governments do use policy—to legitimize and support some gender-based behaviors, while undermining others. Looking in depth at the case of welfare reform, but considering a wide range of policy arenas, the authors examine how government policymaking in essence defines the "proper" nature of males and females. At the heart of their analysis is an effort to resolve questions about how policies determine what women and men must do to be granted standing as good citizens—and what benefits they can subsequently accrue. The result is a clear yet sophisticated exploration of the troublesome, sometimes insidious, ways in which gender ideology works in tandem with conventional political ideologies in the United States today

The conventional ideology of organization man and family woman no longer serves as a useful guide to employment policies because it does not depict accurately the lives of today's professionals. This analysis of survey data of professional men and women in Wisconsin civil service demonstrates that both men and women believe personal life factors hindered theircareers, that women have assumed an important breadwinning role, and that part-time work and career interruptions were used by men as well as women. These professionals would benefit from employment policies that recognize the importance of a personal life, the diversity across individuals and over the course of a career, and the many different ways to achieve a successful career.