Interactions between gender, work, and technology in male-dominated industrial organisations – changes and resistance?

The project aims to synthesise previous research on the constructions of gender in male-dominated work organisations and relate it to the state of the art in gender studies and working life research.

The project is about the complexity of the interactions between gender, work, and technology in the industrial work of the future that comes with the green and digital transformation. Major changes in technology and organisation often become challenges of prevailing gender patterns. This can lead to resistance as well as openings for change.

By understanding technology, work, and organisation as gendered phenomena, we can better handle resistance and support the development of a better work environment and a sustainable and gender equal working life. The mine is interesting because of the great contrasts between the old and the new. As in other industrial contexts, there are quite stable connections between work, technology, and masculinity.

If we can understand why and how these masculinities change (or do not change) in relation to other changes (in technology, work), we can better understand the difficulties of changing unequal gender patterns in the workplace.

This project will provide important knowledge contributions since there are currently few new studies of gender, technology and organisation in “classical” and male-dominated industries and of how both gender equality and inequality are done, both doing and undoing gender, in this type of organisations.