Gender Capital at Work Intersections of Femininity, Masculinity, Class and Occupation

Gender Capital at Work uses new data from interviews with nurses, social workers, exotic dancers and hairdressers to explore the processes involved in producing and reproducing gendered and classed workers and occupations. In doing so, this book argues that femininity, femaleness, masculinity and maleness work as assets in feminised occupations and that the concept 'gender capital' may help researches to better understand the complex relationship between gender, class and occupation. This book builds on Bourdieusian theory, particularly the concept 'gender capital', and provides a unique approach to gendered occupational segregation.

KATE HUPPATZ is Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Western Sydney, Australia.

PART I: GENDER, CLASS, WORK AND REWORKING BOURDIEU
Introduction
Why use Bourdieusian Theory to Study Gender, Class and Work? The Case for 'Gender Capital'
Gender and Class in Four Occupations
Collecting and Interpreting Work-Life Stories
PART II: LOCATING GENDER CAPITAL AT WORK: FOUR CASE STUDIES
Nursing
Social Work
Exotic Dancing
Hairdressing
Conclusions