"We're worth what we are paid": Unravelling the 'paradox of the contented female worker'

SMITH, Maria (2019). "We're worth what we are paid": Unravelling the 'paradox of the contented female worker'. Sociological Research Online.

[img]
Preview
PDF
Smith_We'reWorthWhat(AM).pdf - Accepted Version
All rights reserved.

Download (366kB) | Preview
Official URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1360...
Link to published version:: https://doi.org/10.1177/1360780419870809

Abstract

Pay satisfaction research has suggested that women are more satisfied with their pay than men, even though, in general, women earn less. This paper argues that this body of research has misconceptualised this phenomenon as an issue of women only. It also argues that previous explanations for this gender pay paradox have not adequately explained these patterns of satisfaction. A social constructionist approach to pay satisfaction is proposed which situates satisfaction within the context of structural inequality. This draws upon the scholarly work of feminist scholars and the conceptual ideas of Pierre Bourdieu. This theoretical approach is explored with data from qualitative interviews with support staff at universities in the United Kingdom. This evidence suggests that their pay satisfaction is influenced by beliefs about the ‘value’ of different occupations.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Sociology; 1608 Sociology
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1177/1360780419870809
SWORD Depositor: Symplectic Elements
Depositing User: Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited: 30 Jul 2019 14:53
Last Modified: 18 Mar 2021 03:27
URI: https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/24930

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics