Gender inequality - Weberian explanations

Question 1

According to weber what are the 3 dimensions of stratification?

Answer 1

Class, Status and Party

Question 2

Which dimensions of stratification are most applicable to gender inequality?

Answer 2

Status and Party

Question 3

What is the relation between status and gender inequality?

Answer 3

Occupational segregation is important when looking at gender inequality, especially when looking at females in the labour market (across and within jobs).

Question 4

What are the types of occupational segregation?

Answer 4

Horizontal and Vertical segregation in the labour market

Question 5

Horizontal segregation

Answer 5

difference in the number of males and females across an occupation

Question 6

How is occupational segregation important to young people?

Answer 6

It’s an important influence on young people when they are deciding which career to embark upon.

Question 7

What identified key explanations for horizontal occupational segregation?

Answer 7

The Equal Opportunities Commission (2004)

Question 8

What did The Equal Opportunities Commission (2004) find as the 4 key explanations for horizontal segregation?

Answer 8

Individual differences from human capital theory, individual career choices from perception, Discrimination and barriers in organisations

Question 9

What is vertical segregation based on?

Answer 9

Male domination of high ranking jobs in male and female occupations

Question 10

What are the types of vertical segregation?

Answer 10

Glass ceiling, Concrete ceiling and glass elevator

Question 11

Glass ceiling

Answer 11

An invisible barrier keeps women from achieving power and success that is equal to that of men, and this prevents women from climbing up the career ladder

Question 12

Concrete ceiling

Answer 12

The inequality in the labour market has worsened, and it is now even more difficult for women to reach high job positions in society

Question 13

Glass elevator

Answer 13

Men rise higher and faster up the career ladder than females, and this is particularly seen in teaching and nursing (female based occupations)

Question 14

Social closure

Answer 14

the exclusion of some people from certain status groups

Question 15

How does social closure link to gender inequality?

Answer 15

Feminist would argue that this is what happens to women in contemporary society, as males reserve and protect top positions in society for themselves (other males) and exclude women.

Question 16

How does party link to gender inequality?

Answer 16

Women participate less than men in groups that exert power and pressure in society. Females might be less likely to be active in political parties and activist groups.

Question 17

What are the disadvantages of weberian explanations of gender inequality?

Answer 17

• Post modernists would disagree - Scott (1996) criticises the idea of party

Question 18

Why do post modernists disagree with weberian ideas of class, status and party?

Answer 18

Argue that we don’t have consensus in society on high and low status so applying the ideas of status and party to gender inequality might not be accurate according to Postmodernists who focus more on the “pick and mix” and choice of males and females to not follow the gender stereotypes available to them.

Question 19

Why does Scott (1996) criticise Weber’s concept of party?

Answer 19

He wanted to replace it with the word, “command.” because he sees class relations as based on material property, status relations in social prestige, and command relationships on different positions in the sphere of authority.

Question 20

What are the advantages of Weberian explanations of gender inequality?

Answer 20

Neo-weberian agree, especially with the market approach to understand the economy and class structure (Goldthorpe)

Question 21

What did Barron and Norris (1976) focus on?

Answer 21

The dual labour market which can help explain female employment patterns

Question 22

What do Barron and Norris identify as the reasons for the dual labour market?

Answer 22

Employers having stereotypical beliefs, Weak legal and political framework to protect females form prejudice

Question 23

What sectors does the labour market consist of?

Answer 23

Primary and secondary sectors

Question 24

Primary sector labour market

Answer 24

This consists of secure, well paid jobs with high chance of promotion. Males tend to have these types of jobs, especially white males

Question 25

Secondary sector labour market

Answer 25

This consists of low security, low paid jobs, and zero contract hours with poor chance of promotion. Females tend to have these jobs.

Question 26

What weberian concept do Barron and Norris feel explains gender inequality?

Answer 26

Status as they tend to have low status jobs (secondary labour market)

Question 27

Why do Barron and Norris feel women have low status jobs?

Answer 27

because they have the role of housewife and mother which is not held in high esteem in society, and is seen to have low status and little power.

Question 28

What are the disadvantages of Barron and Norris and the dual labour market?

Answer 28

- Criticised because they don't explain difference between women - Bradley criticises the dual labour market theory

Question 29

Why does Bradley criticise the dual labour market theory?

Answer 29

because it fails to explain inequalities within the same sector of job, e.g. teaching is a primary sector labour market job, yet females are less likely than males to gain a high status in this profession.

Question 30

What does Parkin (1979) look at?

Answer 30

Gender social closure in institutions

Question 31

What is social closure according to Parkin?

Answer 31

process of subordination whereby one group monopolizes advantages by closing off opportunities to another group of outsiders beneath it

Question 32

What example did Parkin use to explain Gender social closure in institutions?

Answer 32

The colonial 9 colleges which were religiously affiliated and all were closed to women

Question 33

Which type of people were admitted to the Colonial 9 colleges?

Answer 33

the most academically successful of the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant males from the private preparatory schools

Question 34

How was white male dominance maintained in the Colonial 9 colleges?

Answer 34

Elite colleges adopted an informal admission system that used code-words such as "manliness," "character," and "leadership".

Question 35

How has the Elite colleges informal admission system continued today?

Answer 35

• The educated class that create job requirements and job descriptions can discriminate against those who do not share its vocabulary and ideals, this can make professions socially closed.

Question 36

How do powerful groups use education as a form of cultural capital?

Answer 36

is thought to be related to work competence. It can be used by powerful groups to exclude and disguise other bases of rejection, such as gender, race, or social class

Question 37

How is social exclusion unconsciously bias?

Answer 37

It is rationalized by the first available, socially-acceptable "reason" such as educational credentials rather than for the real reasons on gender/sex discrimination