Restructuring the male breadwinner model: New challenges for a rapidly changing Australia. This project investigates changes to the Australian male breadwinner gender order in the key spheres of labour markets, households and public policies. Gender arrangements in these spheres play a key role in economic development reflecting the intertwining of economic and social processes in a country's well-being. Increased understanding of the implications of current changes affecting the gender order an ....Restructuring the male breadwinner model: New challenges for a rapidly changing Australia. This project investigates changes to the Australian male breadwinner gender order in the key spheres of labour markets, households and public policies. Gender arrangements in these spheres play a key role in economic development reflecting the intertwining of economic and social processes in a country's well-being. Increased understanding of the implications of current changes affecting the gender order and social reproduction will enhance economic well-being for both individuals and society in Australia. The impact of these changes are vital policy issues. This international collaboration will develop a conceptual framework for identifying policy reform to strengthen Australia's social and economic sustainability.Read moreRead less
Epistemologies of workplace change: transforming gender relations in engineering. The severe shortage of engineers threatens sustainable development in rich and poor countries alike. The situation is exacerbated in Australia by global warming and the mining boom, ultimately constraining the national capacity for future economic development and long-term prosperity. Women are potentially an important source of future engineers, but they are currently neither attracted to nor retained within the p ....Epistemologies of workplace change: transforming gender relations in engineering. The severe shortage of engineers threatens sustainable development in rich and poor countries alike. The situation is exacerbated in Australia by global warming and the mining boom, ultimately constraining the national capacity for future economic development and long-term prosperity. Women are potentially an important source of future engineers, but they are currently neither attracted to nor retained within the profession in significant numbers. This project, involving international collaboration, will generate a new conceptual model designed to re-dress this problem. A key outcome will be more efficient and effective gender equity policies in engineering and related industries.
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Sexual harassment in Australia: Contexts, outcomes and prevention. Sexual harassment remains a persistent workplace issue with significant social costs. The project will examine how to most effectively prevent sexual harassment and to reduce the impact of sexual harassment for individuals and organizations where it occurs. A comprehensive analysis will be undertaken, drawing on a longitudinal study of more than 100 'targets' of sexual harassment, interviews with a wide range of employers and ext ....Sexual harassment in Australia: Contexts, outcomes and prevention. Sexual harassment remains a persistent workplace issue with significant social costs. The project will examine how to most effectively prevent sexual harassment and to reduce the impact of sexual harassment for individuals and organizations where it occurs. A comprehensive analysis will be undertaken, drawing on a longitudinal study of more than 100 'targets' of sexual harassment, interviews with a wide range of employers and external complaint handling bodies, and an analysis of formal and informal reports. The project outcomes will contribute to improved policy and practice in workplaces and human rights and assist other bodies to prevent and more effectively respond to sexual harassment.Read moreRead less
Engineering diversity: An investigation of gender, workplace culture and change. Workplaces are changing rapidly in restructuring economies, but equity and diversity remain elusive. The engineering profession continues to experience difficulty attracting and retaining women. Gender equity programs that focus on women's training, socialisation and non-traditional 'choices' overlook the centrality of workplace cultures. This study reframes the issue, problematising the work context, rather than wo ....Engineering diversity: An investigation of gender, workplace culture and change. Workplaces are changing rapidly in restructuring economies, but equity and diversity remain elusive. The engineering profession continues to experience difficulty attracting and retaining women. Gender equity programs that focus on women's training, socialisation and non-traditional 'choices' overlook the centrality of workplace cultures. This study reframes the issue, problematising the work context, rather than women themselves. A qualitative investigation of discourses and practices at a range of engineering sites will be conducted. As the first major study of the work place culture in Australian engineering the findings will provide a basis for change in engineering industry, policy, and education settings.Read moreRead less
The limited promise of 'equality biographies': Young Australians negotiate modern gendered identities, family and citizenship engagements in a divided society. Apart from its contribution to the international sociological debate concerning the individualization thesis, the project will contribute to pressing policy issues, ie. declining fertility, accessibility of abortion, appropriate childcare, humane immigration policies in a world with millions of refugees and reconciliation. Based on an em ....The limited promise of 'equality biographies': Young Australians negotiate modern gendered identities, family and citizenship engagements in a divided society. Apart from its contribution to the international sociological debate concerning the individualization thesis, the project will contribute to pressing policy issues, ie. declining fertility, accessibility of abortion, appropriate childcare, humane immigration policies in a world with millions of refugees and reconciliation. Based on an empirically grounded analysis in a rich qualitative data set revealing how young Australians see themselves negotiating family, work and citizenship, the project will construct the vocabularies by which young people locate themselves in the community. The results will make contributions to policy debates by suggesting changes that are responsive to the needs and aspirations of the citizens of the future.Read moreRead less