Can the Creative Industries Cater for Women? Female Graduates and Gender Boundaries: A Bourdieusian Approach
Abstract
This research project examines the gender boundaries perceived by five female graduates currently working in the creative industries. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews, and thematically analysed using the theoretical framework of Pierre Bourdieu. Five significant trends appeared in the data: (1) male dominated offices and the sexual division of labour; (2) the importance of social capital and negative networking encounters; (3) females experiencing confidence issues; (4) negative perception of the gender pay gap; and (5) the need for more female role models. This project argues that the interviewee’s negative experiences are internalised and the gendered social order is anchored in the habitus of both males and females, to maintain the position of the dominant in the creative industries.
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