Work Changes Gender. Men and Equality in the Transition of Labour Forms

Changes in the work sphere and the “vanishing” of standard work may end the old breadwinner type of masculinity. But where “new men” try to balance work and life or show caring activities, they face obstacles – i.e. in organisations or on playgrounds. The book explains the ongoing changes in detail, shows ways how men deal with them and gives recommendations how to achieve gender equality by including a perspective on men. The world of work is undergoing rapid change across Europe and worldwide. The erosion of standard work environments (full-time work, permanent labour contracts and secure welfare conditions) means that a growing number of men’s working lives are characterised by work discontinuity and insecurity. For many men today, the traditional picture of the male breadwinner no longer correlates well with reality. The international research project Work Changes Gender examined ongoing shifts in male working environments in Europe, their interrelations with changing male self-assessment and evolving opportunities for gender equality. Detailed studies on these issues are conducted in five European countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Norway and Spain) and Israel, set at the national, enterprise and individual worker levels. The book contributes to a narrowing of the “paradox gender gap” through the provision of information and a new perspective on men’s working conditions and male self images.