Description:
This article examines the impact on work culture when men work in kindergartens. In Norway, as in other countries there has been a call for more male staff in kindergartens. Increasing the amount of men may imply that institutionalized norms and practice are put under pressure. By using a case study approach, the focus is on employees' experiences and practice in daily life in the kindergarten. Two processes, negotiation about work organization and the division of labour, illustrate the empirical part of this article. The findings indicate that female staff negotiate for standardized workdays and norms of sameness, while the males negotiate for a flexible workday and division of labour based on their interests. The difference in practice between males and females and negotiation about the division of labour contribute to constructing gendered work cultures. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Country:
Norway