This chapter argues that combining recent work in critical studies on men and masculinities (CSMM... more This chapter argues that combining recent work in critical studies on men and masculinities (CSMM) with critical leadership studies (CSL) has the potential to open up important new research agendas in the broad area of gender and leadership and more particularly in relation to men, masculinities, and leadership. Its starting point is Collinson and Hearn's 1994 Gender, Work & Organization article, "Naming men as men: Implications
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2021
Increasingly high-profile research is being undertaken into the socio-environmental challenges as... more Increasingly high-profile research is being undertaken into the socio-environmental challenges associated with the over-production and consumption of food from animals. Transforming food systems to mitigate climate change and hidden hunger, ensure food security and good health all point to reducing animal-based foods as a key lever. Moving beyond animal-based food systems is a societal grand challenge requiring coordinated international research by the social sciences and humanities. A ‘selective openness’ to this range of disciplines has been observed within multi-discipline research programmes designed to address societal grand challenges including those concerned with the sustainability of food systems, inhibiting the impact of social sciences and humanities. Further, existing research on animal-based foods within these disciplines is largely dispersed and focused on particular parts of food systems. Inspired by the ‘Sutherland Method’ this paper discusses the results of an itera...
Rethinking Gender, Work and Care in a New Europe, 2016
In recent decades, the gender education gap in many Western and Nordic countries has gradually re... more In recent decades, the gender education gap in many Western and Nordic countries has gradually reversed in favour of girls and women, in terms of participation in the formal education system, as well as achievement (Ganguli et al., 2011; Ganguli, 2013). This trend also characterizes most post-socialist countries, especially the Baltic countries (Ganguli, 2013), where the gender education gap has become especially pronounced in secondary and tertiary education. For example, while in the European Union countries (EU-27) on average 32 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women have completed tertiary education, in Estonia, tertiary education completion rates are 55 per cent for women and 33 per cent for men, which is the highest gap in the EU (Eurostat, 2013).
The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender i... more The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender inequality in society. Qualitative research on the GPG is scarce, yet, qualitative perspectives on the GPG are valuable as the ways in which the GPG is understood and talked about shape actions to tackle it. This article focuses on how the GPG is represented in the context of work and organizations, inspired by the “What's the Problem Represented to be?” approach, developed by Carol Bacchi. The analysis draws on qualitative data—63 interviews with employers, employees, and state officials—collected in Estonia which exhibits one of the largest GPGs in the European Union. Five dominant representations of the GPG were identified: the GPG as (a) consciously produced by employers, (b) different pay for the same work, (c) unmeasurable due to “unique” and “incomparable” jobs and workers, (d) produced by women's failure to ask for fair pay, and (e) impossible for employers to reduce becau...
The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender i... more The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender inequality in society. Qualitative research on the GPG is scarce, yet, qualitative perspectives on the GPG are valuable as the ways in which the GPG is understood and talked about shape actions to tackle it. This article focuses on how the GPG is represented in the context of work and organizations, inspired by the “What's the Problem Represented to be?” approach, developed by Carol Bacchi. The analysis draws on qualitative data—63 interviews with employers, employees, and state officials—collected in Estonia which exhibits one of the largest GPGs in the European Union. Five dominant representations of the GPG were identified: the GPG as (a) consciously produced by employers, (b) different pay for the same work, (c) unmeasurable due to “unique” and “incomparable” jobs and workers, (d) produced by women's failure to ask for fair pay, and (e) impossible for employers to reduce because of market forces. Collectively, these representations render the GPG inevitable, downplaying its emergence as a result of specific gendered social practices. This has implications for the employers' and the state's willingness and strategies to reduce the GPG.
In the age of the Anthropocene, questions of ecological sustainability, animal ethics, and human ... more In the age of the Anthropocene, questions of ecological sustainability, animal ethics, and human health are intimately entangled. From a gender perspective, compared to women, men’s diets tend to be less healthy and sustainable. This is linked to worse health outcomes for men. Therefore, alternative, more ethical ways of eating that have the potential to improve men’s health and well-being and simultaneously contribute to better public health and sustainability outcomes should be encouraged. Veganism addresses issues of food, health, climate change, and animal justice simultaneously.This article explores vegan men’s food practices in relation to health and well-being, drawing on qualitative interviews with 61 vegan men. The interview material was analyzed using the method of thematic analysis. Our findings suggest that becoming vegan encourages positive changes in men’s health behavior. This includes paying more attention to nutrition and taking better care of one’s health. Vegan me...
Gender Studies and the New Academic Governance, 2017
This article discusses the impact of the neo-liberalisation of higher education on gender studies... more This article discusses the impact of the neo-liberalisation of higher education on gender studies and feminist research in post-socialist settings. This is done using the example of Estonia, where the neo-liberal ideology (more broadly) and its implementation in universities is widely regarded as common sense and rarely challenged. In this article we consider how feminist scholars in Estonia both accommodate and challenge the corporatisation of universities. We argue that feminist scholars in Estonia are largely complicit in the neo-liberalisation of academia, playing by its rules rather than offering resistance. We contend that discursive interventions may not be sufficient in displacing neo-liberalisation in academic life and that it is crucial to also engage with material dimensions of academic precarity under neo-liberal conditions. Particularly in post-socialist settings, revitalising academic trade unions is an important task. Resistance to neo-liberalisation must be accomplished collectively. We suggest that advancing intersectional perspectives in feminist scholarship and forming intersectional coalitions to combat damaging neo-liberal processes in academia might be a way forward.
This article examines trends in the labour market position, defi ned in terms of three dimensions ... more This article examines trends in the labour market position, defi ned in terms of three dimensions – earnings, perceived job security and overall job satisfaction – among four population groups in Estonia – Estonian men and women and Russian-speaking men and women. We explore how the labour market position of these groups changed between 1993 and 2008.We used data from 1993 and 2008, collected in the population survey Work, Family and Leisure, designed by the Institute of International and Social Studies at Tallinn University. We carried out a two-step analysis: fi rst, we conducted descriptive analysis to explore changes in the labour market situation of men and women of two ethnic groups in the period of 1993-2008; and second, we used models of multivariate analysis of variances to examine how gender, ethnicity and occupational status as well as the intersection of these variables are related to earnings, job security and job satisfaction.We found that Estonian men have emerged as th...
This chapter argues that combining recent work in critical studies on men and masculinities (CSMM... more This chapter argues that combining recent work in critical studies on men and masculinities (CSMM) with critical leadership studies (CSL) has the potential to open up important new research agendas in the broad area of gender and leadership and more particularly in relation to men, masculinities, and leadership. Its starting point is Collinson and Hearn's 1994 Gender, Work & Organization article, "Naming men as men: Implications
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2021
Increasingly high-profile research is being undertaken into the socio-environmental challenges as... more Increasingly high-profile research is being undertaken into the socio-environmental challenges associated with the over-production and consumption of food from animals. Transforming food systems to mitigate climate change and hidden hunger, ensure food security and good health all point to reducing animal-based foods as a key lever. Moving beyond animal-based food systems is a societal grand challenge requiring coordinated international research by the social sciences and humanities. A ‘selective openness’ to this range of disciplines has been observed within multi-discipline research programmes designed to address societal grand challenges including those concerned with the sustainability of food systems, inhibiting the impact of social sciences and humanities. Further, existing research on animal-based foods within these disciplines is largely dispersed and focused on particular parts of food systems. Inspired by the ‘Sutherland Method’ this paper discusses the results of an itera...
Rethinking Gender, Work and Care in a New Europe, 2016
In recent decades, the gender education gap in many Western and Nordic countries has gradually re... more In recent decades, the gender education gap in many Western and Nordic countries has gradually reversed in favour of girls and women, in terms of participation in the formal education system, as well as achievement (Ganguli et al., 2011; Ganguli, 2013). This trend also characterizes most post-socialist countries, especially the Baltic countries (Ganguli, 2013), where the gender education gap has become especially pronounced in secondary and tertiary education. For example, while in the European Union countries (EU-27) on average 32 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women have completed tertiary education, in Estonia, tertiary education completion rates are 55 per cent for women and 33 per cent for men, which is the highest gap in the EU (Eurostat, 2013).
The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender i... more The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender inequality in society. Qualitative research on the GPG is scarce, yet, qualitative perspectives on the GPG are valuable as the ways in which the GPG is understood and talked about shape actions to tackle it. This article focuses on how the GPG is represented in the context of work and organizations, inspired by the “What's the Problem Represented to be?” approach, developed by Carol Bacchi. The analysis draws on qualitative data—63 interviews with employers, employees, and state officials—collected in Estonia which exhibits one of the largest GPGs in the European Union. Five dominant representations of the GPG were identified: the GPG as (a) consciously produced by employers, (b) different pay for the same work, (c) unmeasurable due to “unique” and “incomparable” jobs and workers, (d) produced by women's failure to ask for fair pay, and (e) impossible for employers to reduce becau...
The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender i... more The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender inequality in society. Qualitative research on the GPG is scarce, yet, qualitative perspectives on the GPG are valuable as the ways in which the GPG is understood and talked about shape actions to tackle it. This article focuses on how the GPG is represented in the context of work and organizations, inspired by the “What's the Problem Represented to be?” approach, developed by Carol Bacchi. The analysis draws on qualitative data—63 interviews with employers, employees, and state officials—collected in Estonia which exhibits one of the largest GPGs in the European Union. Five dominant representations of the GPG were identified: the GPG as (a) consciously produced by employers, (b) different pay for the same work, (c) unmeasurable due to “unique” and “incomparable” jobs and workers, (d) produced by women's failure to ask for fair pay, and (e) impossible for employers to reduce because of market forces. Collectively, these representations render the GPG inevitable, downplaying its emergence as a result of specific gendered social practices. This has implications for the employers' and the state's willingness and strategies to reduce the GPG.
In the age of the Anthropocene, questions of ecological sustainability, animal ethics, and human ... more In the age of the Anthropocene, questions of ecological sustainability, animal ethics, and human health are intimately entangled. From a gender perspective, compared to women, men’s diets tend to be less healthy and sustainable. This is linked to worse health outcomes for men. Therefore, alternative, more ethical ways of eating that have the potential to improve men’s health and well-being and simultaneously contribute to better public health and sustainability outcomes should be encouraged. Veganism addresses issues of food, health, climate change, and animal justice simultaneously.This article explores vegan men’s food practices in relation to health and well-being, drawing on qualitative interviews with 61 vegan men. The interview material was analyzed using the method of thematic analysis. Our findings suggest that becoming vegan encourages positive changes in men’s health behavior. This includes paying more attention to nutrition and taking better care of one’s health. Vegan me...
Gender Studies and the New Academic Governance, 2017
This article discusses the impact of the neo-liberalisation of higher education on gender studies... more This article discusses the impact of the neo-liberalisation of higher education on gender studies and feminist research in post-socialist settings. This is done using the example of Estonia, where the neo-liberal ideology (more broadly) and its implementation in universities is widely regarded as common sense and rarely challenged. In this article we consider how feminist scholars in Estonia both accommodate and challenge the corporatisation of universities. We argue that feminist scholars in Estonia are largely complicit in the neo-liberalisation of academia, playing by its rules rather than offering resistance. We contend that discursive interventions may not be sufficient in displacing neo-liberalisation in academic life and that it is crucial to also engage with material dimensions of academic precarity under neo-liberal conditions. Particularly in post-socialist settings, revitalising academic trade unions is an important task. Resistance to neo-liberalisation must be accomplished collectively. We suggest that advancing intersectional perspectives in feminist scholarship and forming intersectional coalitions to combat damaging neo-liberal processes in academia might be a way forward.
This article examines trends in the labour market position, defi ned in terms of three dimensions ... more This article examines trends in the labour market position, defi ned in terms of three dimensions – earnings, perceived job security and overall job satisfaction – among four population groups in Estonia – Estonian men and women and Russian-speaking men and women. We explore how the labour market position of these groups changed between 1993 and 2008.We used data from 1993 and 2008, collected in the population survey Work, Family and Leisure, designed by the Institute of International and Social Studies at Tallinn University. We carried out a two-step analysis: fi rst, we conducted descriptive analysis to explore changes in the labour market situation of men and women of two ethnic groups in the period of 1993-2008; and second, we used models of multivariate analysis of variances to examine how gender, ethnicity and occupational status as well as the intersection of these variables are related to earnings, job security and job satisfaction.We found that Estonian men have emerged as th...
Men, Masculinities, and Earth: Contending with the (m)Anthropocene, 2021
The escalating climate crisis we are amidst, points to a profound lack of care for (non)human oth... more The escalating climate crisis we are amidst, points to a profound lack of care for (non)human others and the Earth. Humanity's massive consumption of other animals for food is a key driver of climate change. Using the notion of care, this chapter examines veganism as a pathway for men to move towards more sustainable and egalitarian ways of living. The chapter draws on 61 qualitative interviews with vegan men based in Finland and Estonia. Aavik argues that veganism can constitute one tangible way for men to cultivate and practice greater care towards (non)human others, the environment and the self.
Men, Masculinities and the Modern Career: Contemporary and Historical Perspectives, 2020
This book focuses on the multiple and diverse masculinities ‘at work’. Spanning both historical a... more This book focuses on the multiple and diverse masculinities ‘at work’. Spanning both historical approaches to the rise of ‘profession’ as a marker of masculinity, and critical approaches to the current structures of management, employment and workplace hierarchy, the book questions what role masculinity plays in cultural understandings, affective experiences and mediatised representations of a professional ‘career’.
ender studies and gender research in the times of the New Governance of Science, edited by Heike Kahlert, 2018
This article discusses the impact of the neo-liberalisation of higher education on gender studies... more This article discusses the impact of the neo-liberalisation of higher education on gender studies and feminist research in post-socialist settings. This is done using the example of Estonia, where the neo-liberal ideology (more broadly) and its implementation in universities is widely regarded as common sense and rarely challenged. In this article we consider how feminist scholars in Estonia both accommodate and challenge the corporatisation of universities. We argue that feminist scholars in Estonia are largely complicit in the neo-liberalisation of academia, playing by its rules rather than offering resistance. We contend that discursive interventions may not be sufficient in displacing neo-liberalisation in academic life and that it is crucial to also engage with material dimensions of academic precarity under neo-liberal conditions. Particularly in post-socialist settings, revitalising academic trade unions is an important task. Resistance to neo-liberalisation must be accomplished collectively. We suggest that advancing intersectional perspectives in feminist scholarship and forming intersectional coalitions to combat damaging neo-liberal processes in academia might be a way forward .
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