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The Contradictions and Intersections of Class and Gender in a Global City: Placing Working Women's Lives on the Research Agenda

Author

Listed:
  • Linda McDowell

    (School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TB, England)

  • Diane Perrons

    (Department of Geography, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, England)

  • Colette Fagan

    (Department of Sociology, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, England)

  • Kath Ray

    (Policy Studies Institute, 100 Park Village East, London NW1 3SR, England)

  • Kevin Ward

    (School of Geography, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, England)

Abstract

In this paper we examine the relationships between class and gender in the context of current debates about economic change in Greater London. It is a common contention of the global city thesis that new patterns of inequality and class polarisation are apparent as the expansion of high-status employment brings in its wake rising employment in low-status, poorly paid ‘servicing’ occupations. Whereas urban theorists tend to ignore gender divisions, feminist scholars have argued that new class and income inequalities are opening up between women as growing numbers of highly credentialised women enter full-time, permanent employment and others are restricted to casualised, low-paid work. However, it is also argued that working women's interests coincide because of their continued responsibility for domestic obligations and still-evident gender discrimination in the labour market. In this paper we counterpose these debates, assessing the consequences for income inequality, for patterns of childcare and for work–life balance policies of rising rates of labour-market participation among women in Greater London. We conclude by outlining a new research agenda.

Suggested Citation

  • Linda McDowell & Diane Perrons & Colette Fagan & Kath Ray & Kevin Ward, 2005. "The Contradictions and Intersections of Class and Gender in a Global City: Placing Working Women's Lives on the Research Agenda," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(3), pages 441-461, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:37:y:2005:i:3:p:441-461
    DOI: 10.1068/a3781
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Diane Perrons, 2000. "Flexible Working and Equal Opportunities in the United Kingdom: A Case Study from Retail," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 32(10), pages 1719-1734, October.
    2. Alcock,Pete & Beatty,Christina & Fothergill,Stephen & MacMillan,Rob & Yeandle,Sue, 2003. "Work to Welfare," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521002868, October.
    3. Alcock,Pete & Beatty,Christina & Fothergill,Stephen & MacMillan,Rob & Yeandle,Sue, 2003. "Work to Welfare," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521802499.
    4. Richard Dickens & Paul Gregg & Jonathan Wadsworth (ed.), 2003. "The Labour Market Under New Labour," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-59845-4, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bruce Philp & Dan Wheatley, 2010. "Time Scarcity and the Dual Career Household: Competing Perspectives," NBS Discussion Papers in Economics 2010/6, Economics, Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University.
    2. Diane Perrons & Robin Dunford, 2013. "Regional development, equality and gender: Moving towards more inclusive and socially sustainable measures," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 34(3), pages 483-499, August.
    3. Hjorthol, Randi & Vågane, Liva, 2014. "Allocation of tasks, arrangement of working hours and commuting in different Norwegian households," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 75-83.
    4. Dan Wheatley and Zhongmin Wu, 2011. "Work, Inequality, and the Dual Career Household," NBS Discussion Papers in Economics 2011/03, Economics, Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University.
    5. Lucy Ferguson, 2009. "Analysing the Gender Dimensions of Tourism as a Development Strategy," Policy Papers del Instituto Complutense de Estudios Internacionales 09-03, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Instituto Complutense de Estudios Internacionales.
    6. Wheatley, Daniel, 2014. "Travel-to-work and subjective well-being: A study of UK dual career households," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 187-196.
    7. Charlotta Hedberg & Tiit Tammaru, 2013. "‘Neighbourhood Effects’ and ‘City Effects’: The Entry of Newly Arrived Immigrants into the Labour Market," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(6), pages 1165-1182, May.

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