Ruth Woodfield | University of St Andrews (original) (raw)
Papers by Ruth Woodfield
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Dec 28, 2000
Sociology, 2000
Review article: McMahon, A. (1999) 'Taking Care of Men: Sexual Politics in the Public Min... more Review article: McMahon, A. (1999) 'Taking Care of Men: Sexual Politics in the Public Mind' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521588200
Information Technology & People, Dec 1, 2002
Although few dispute the computer's place as a pivotal twentiethcentury artefact, little agreemen... more Although few dispute the computer's place as a pivotal twentiethcentury artefact, little agreement has emerged over whether the changes it has precipitated are generally positive or negative in nature, or whether we should be contemplating our future association with the computer more with enthusiasm or trepidation. SpeciWcally with regard to the relationship between women and computers, a diverse body of commentary has embraced the views of those who have found grounds for expressing pessimism about this association and those who have favoured a more optimistic assessment of the current situation and its probable future development. This book undertakes a thorough evaluation of the legitimacy and predictive power of the optimistic commentary. Using a large body of original qualitative data, it interrogates the bases of what it identiWes as three waves of optimism and in doing so provides answers to some of the key questions asked in this Weld today.
Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks, 2007
Studies in Higher Education, Feb 1, 2006
... student absenteeism was 'rampant' (1993, p. 167), and increased alo... more ... student absenteeism was 'rampant' (1993, p. 167), and increased along with perceptions that teaching ... is the largely ignored aspect of gender differ-ences in student attendance rates ... this test avoids the 'restricted range' problems affecting other stud-ies using general cognitive ...
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000
Chapter 2 in Vassilev, Ivalyo and Wallace, Claire (eds.) (2007) Social quality and the changing r... more Chapter 2 in Vassilev, Ivalyo and Wallace, Claire (eds.) (2007) Social quality and the changing relationship between work, care and welfare in Europe
What Women Want from Work, 2007
Chapter 2 in Vassilev, Ivalyo and Wallace, Claire (eds.) (2007) Social quality and the changing r... more Chapter 2 in Vassilev, Ivalyo and Wallace, Claire (eds.) (2007) Social quality and the changing relationship between work, care and welfare in Europe
What Women Want from Work, 2007
This chapter explores material specifically related to how participants discussed their aspiratio... more This chapter explores material specifically related to how participants discussed their aspirations and experiences of career progress. In each section, once again, commentary from the education group will be followed by commentary from the firefighter and the teacher groups.
British Journal of Industrial Relations, 2009
In their introduction, the authors say their intention is to provide 'an introduction to the poli... more In their introduction, the authors say their intention is to provide 'an introduction to the political dynamics of organizational life' (p. 6). This is a task that has been undertaken before, but the approach of these authors is different. It is not difficult to see that they have much more concern for conceptualization than is evident in much of the existing literature. Part One of the book, which takes up pages 11-65-or one-third of the text-is an extended discussion of the concepts of power, resistance and struggle, and the whole of the rest of the volume (pp. 69-191) is ostensibly organized around the conceptual priorities set out at the beginning. Although the question of whether the initial framework is followed through in the more substantive parts of the text is open, that the authors are more than usually preoccupied with ideas is not. There are references here to social and political theorists (such as Machiavelli and Hannah Arendt) as well as to moral philosophers (Diogenes and Nancy Fraser), not to mention the ideas of fashionable contemporary thinkers (Laclau, Zizeck, etc.). One issue the reviewer must consider, therefore, is the explanatory yield of this particular approach to organizational politics. What does the use of these concepts explain that so far remains opaque or obscure? However, the book does not only claim to be a work of theory. The authors also suggest that their book provides, presumably because of its sophisticated conceptualization, an account of 'some of the most important forms of struggle that characterise contemporary organisations today' (p. 6), so this claim should also be considered. Part One of this book is devoted to the consideration of the concepts of power, resistance and struggle, one chapter being devoted to each. It is argued in chapter 1 that power can be seen as having four 'faces': coercion, manipulation, domination and 'subjectification'. Following this, in the next chapter, four faces of resistance are also identified: refusal, voice, escape and creation. Finally, in chapter 3, the faces of power are explicitly linked with the faces of resistance, giving four pairings (coercion and refusal, manipulation and voice, domination and escape, and subjectification and creation). The concept of struggle (linking power and resistance) is also put forward, together with the idea that struggle may co-vary in intensity and kind, yielding three types of struggle: destructive, resentful and loving. The concept of struggle, presumably conceived as having an emergent property, is claimed by these authors as their distinctive contribution to theory. This set of ideas is economical and neat-if it works, it will tidy things up a good deal. But does it work? Is what is offered actually a theoretical breakthrough? There are some unexpected features of the ideas considered in these chapters. While the four faces of power have some obvious similarities with established ideas, the typology of forms of resistance offered here does not. When orthodox organizational analysts consider power, they are apt to use concepts including those identified by these authors. In orthodox Weberian theory, for example, systems of (societal) domination, which are characterized by legitimate power, are central to the analysis. It is difficult to imagine any specifically managerial regime being able to function effectively without working largely within a broader system of domination of this kind. Also, it would be impossible to discuss managerial regimes without manipulation and what these authors call 'subjectification'. On the other hand, the unwillingness of some analysts of the modern organization to think of their work in the context of a theory of power is not simply due to their supposed intellectual or political
Sociology, 2006
A central theme of each of these books is that paid work dominates the lives of most of us. We wo... more A central theme of each of these books is that paid work dominates the lives of most of us. We work more hours than we did 30 years ago, and under more insecure and pressurized conditions. Work can rarely be relegated to a secondary, supportive activity that facilitates ...
Contemporary Sociology, 2001
Поиск в библиотеке, Расширенный поиск. ...
Engagement with academic and pastoral support services Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 The emerging d... more Engagement with academic and pastoral support services Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 The emerging di erences 1.2 Improving retention and success through support services 1.3 Gendered engagement 1.4 Aims of this research 2 Research overview 2.1 Availability of service-use data 2.2 Survey respondents 3 General ndings 3.1 Students' views on their health, study habits, work and extra-curricular involvement 3.2 Students' views on their need for academic and pastoral support 3.3 Awareness of support services 3.4 Use of services 3.5 Seeking support 3.6 Opinions of services 4 Service-speci c ndings 4.1 Careers and employability including volunteering 4.2 Counselling, advice and wellbeing 4.3 Disability services 4.4 Financial support and advice 4.5 IT skills and support 4.6 Library services 4.7 Religion or belief support 4.8 Study support 4.9 Students' union services 5 Conclusion 6 How can services engage more men? 6.1 Data on students' service use 6.2 Service provision 6.3 Communication channels 6.4 Referral 6.5 Service promotion 6.6 Location and format 6.7 Timing 7 References Participation Men are less likely to commence an undergraduate course than women since the early 1990s. In 2009/10, the participation gap between male and female students was 13.3% (ECU, 2011: gure 1.6). Retention Men are less likely to complete their degrees than women. 8.9% of men who registered for a rst degree in 2008/09 withdrew during their rst year in comparison to 7.1% of women (ECU, 2011: 12). There is a greater gender gap in completion rates for mature undergraduate students (those aged 21 or over on entry to higher education) than those aged under 21: = 7.9% of male undergraduates and 6.5% of female undergraduates aged under 21 on entry to higher education do not complete their degrees = 17.0% of male mature undergraduates and 12.3% of female mature undergraduates withdraw from their studies (HEPI, 2009: table 5) Attainment Male students are more likely to attain a 2:2 or a third class degree than female students. In 2009/1040.5% of male students attained a third or 2:2, against 35.1% of female students. (ECU, 2011: 13).
Despite improvements in opportunities, women remain concentrated in particular occupational secto... more Despite improvements in opportunities, women remain concentrated in particular occupational sectors and roles. What underlies this situation? Do women simply prefer distinct types of work? Or are current patterns more a function of external limitations on initial ambitions? Although there is a wealth of literature relating to gendered occupational segregation, there is comparatively little seeking to account for how work choices are made from the individual's perspective. Ruth Woodfield offers a detailed, qualitative exploration of over one hundred and eighty girls' and women's accounts of their journeys towards work choices. She examines narratives of work decisions and experiences through the lens of commentary on two neglected case study occupations - fire fighting and teaching - and explores the impact of the media, parents, teachers, as well as discourses of masculinity and femininity, individualism and collectivism, free will and constraint, on the development of t...
We report on quantitative and qualitative research conducted at the University of Sussex that has... more We report on quantitative and qualitative research conducted at the University of Sussex that has examined the question of whether a female preference for coursework exists, and whether such a preference is a key factor in female students' current success at undergraduate level.
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Dec 28, 2000
Sociology, 2000
Review article: McMahon, A. (1999) 'Taking Care of Men: Sexual Politics in the Public Min... more Review article: McMahon, A. (1999) 'Taking Care of Men: Sexual Politics in the Public Mind' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521588200
Information Technology & People, Dec 1, 2002
Although few dispute the computer's place as a pivotal twentiethcentury artefact, little agreemen... more Although few dispute the computer's place as a pivotal twentiethcentury artefact, little agreement has emerged over whether the changes it has precipitated are generally positive or negative in nature, or whether we should be contemplating our future association with the computer more with enthusiasm or trepidation. SpeciWcally with regard to the relationship between women and computers, a diverse body of commentary has embraced the views of those who have found grounds for expressing pessimism about this association and those who have favoured a more optimistic assessment of the current situation and its probable future development. This book undertakes a thorough evaluation of the legitimacy and predictive power of the optimistic commentary. Using a large body of original qualitative data, it interrogates the bases of what it identiWes as three waves of optimism and in doing so provides answers to some of the key questions asked in this Weld today.
Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks, 2007
Studies in Higher Education, Feb 1, 2006
... student absenteeism was 'rampant' (1993, p. 167), and increased alo... more ... student absenteeism was 'rampant' (1993, p. 167), and increased along with perceptions that teaching ... is the largely ignored aspect of gender differ-ences in student attendance rates ... this test avoids the 'restricted range' problems affecting other stud-ies using general cognitive ...
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000
Chapter 2 in Vassilev, Ivalyo and Wallace, Claire (eds.) (2007) Social quality and the changing r... more Chapter 2 in Vassilev, Ivalyo and Wallace, Claire (eds.) (2007) Social quality and the changing relationship between work, care and welfare in Europe
What Women Want from Work, 2007
Chapter 2 in Vassilev, Ivalyo and Wallace, Claire (eds.) (2007) Social quality and the changing r... more Chapter 2 in Vassilev, Ivalyo and Wallace, Claire (eds.) (2007) Social quality and the changing relationship between work, care and welfare in Europe
What Women Want from Work, 2007
This chapter explores material specifically related to how participants discussed their aspiratio... more This chapter explores material specifically related to how participants discussed their aspirations and experiences of career progress. In each section, once again, commentary from the education group will be followed by commentary from the firefighter and the teacher groups.
British Journal of Industrial Relations, 2009
In their introduction, the authors say their intention is to provide 'an introduction to the poli... more In their introduction, the authors say their intention is to provide 'an introduction to the political dynamics of organizational life' (p. 6). This is a task that has been undertaken before, but the approach of these authors is different. It is not difficult to see that they have much more concern for conceptualization than is evident in much of the existing literature. Part One of the book, which takes up pages 11-65-or one-third of the text-is an extended discussion of the concepts of power, resistance and struggle, and the whole of the rest of the volume (pp. 69-191) is ostensibly organized around the conceptual priorities set out at the beginning. Although the question of whether the initial framework is followed through in the more substantive parts of the text is open, that the authors are more than usually preoccupied with ideas is not. There are references here to social and political theorists (such as Machiavelli and Hannah Arendt) as well as to moral philosophers (Diogenes and Nancy Fraser), not to mention the ideas of fashionable contemporary thinkers (Laclau, Zizeck, etc.). One issue the reviewer must consider, therefore, is the explanatory yield of this particular approach to organizational politics. What does the use of these concepts explain that so far remains opaque or obscure? However, the book does not only claim to be a work of theory. The authors also suggest that their book provides, presumably because of its sophisticated conceptualization, an account of 'some of the most important forms of struggle that characterise contemporary organisations today' (p. 6), so this claim should also be considered. Part One of this book is devoted to the consideration of the concepts of power, resistance and struggle, one chapter being devoted to each. It is argued in chapter 1 that power can be seen as having four 'faces': coercion, manipulation, domination and 'subjectification'. Following this, in the next chapter, four faces of resistance are also identified: refusal, voice, escape and creation. Finally, in chapter 3, the faces of power are explicitly linked with the faces of resistance, giving four pairings (coercion and refusal, manipulation and voice, domination and escape, and subjectification and creation). The concept of struggle (linking power and resistance) is also put forward, together with the idea that struggle may co-vary in intensity and kind, yielding three types of struggle: destructive, resentful and loving. The concept of struggle, presumably conceived as having an emergent property, is claimed by these authors as their distinctive contribution to theory. This set of ideas is economical and neat-if it works, it will tidy things up a good deal. But does it work? Is what is offered actually a theoretical breakthrough? There are some unexpected features of the ideas considered in these chapters. While the four faces of power have some obvious similarities with established ideas, the typology of forms of resistance offered here does not. When orthodox organizational analysts consider power, they are apt to use concepts including those identified by these authors. In orthodox Weberian theory, for example, systems of (societal) domination, which are characterized by legitimate power, are central to the analysis. It is difficult to imagine any specifically managerial regime being able to function effectively without working largely within a broader system of domination of this kind. Also, it would be impossible to discuss managerial regimes without manipulation and what these authors call 'subjectification'. On the other hand, the unwillingness of some analysts of the modern organization to think of their work in the context of a theory of power is not simply due to their supposed intellectual or political
Sociology, 2006
A central theme of each of these books is that paid work dominates the lives of most of us. We wo... more A central theme of each of these books is that paid work dominates the lives of most of us. We work more hours than we did 30 years ago, and under more insecure and pressurized conditions. Work can rarely be relegated to a secondary, supportive activity that facilitates ...
Contemporary Sociology, 2001
Поиск в библиотеке, Расширенный поиск. ...
Engagement with academic and pastoral support services Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 The emerging d... more Engagement with academic and pastoral support services Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 The emerging di erences 1.2 Improving retention and success through support services 1.3 Gendered engagement 1.4 Aims of this research 2 Research overview 2.1 Availability of service-use data 2.2 Survey respondents 3 General ndings 3.1 Students' views on their health, study habits, work and extra-curricular involvement 3.2 Students' views on their need for academic and pastoral support 3.3 Awareness of support services 3.4 Use of services 3.5 Seeking support 3.6 Opinions of services 4 Service-speci c ndings 4.1 Careers and employability including volunteering 4.2 Counselling, advice and wellbeing 4.3 Disability services 4.4 Financial support and advice 4.5 IT skills and support 4.6 Library services 4.7 Religion or belief support 4.8 Study support 4.9 Students' union services 5 Conclusion 6 How can services engage more men? 6.1 Data on students' service use 6.2 Service provision 6.3 Communication channels 6.4 Referral 6.5 Service promotion 6.6 Location and format 6.7 Timing 7 References Participation Men are less likely to commence an undergraduate course than women since the early 1990s. In 2009/10, the participation gap between male and female students was 13.3% (ECU, 2011: gure 1.6). Retention Men are less likely to complete their degrees than women. 8.9% of men who registered for a rst degree in 2008/09 withdrew during their rst year in comparison to 7.1% of women (ECU, 2011: 12). There is a greater gender gap in completion rates for mature undergraduate students (those aged 21 or over on entry to higher education) than those aged under 21: = 7.9% of male undergraduates and 6.5% of female undergraduates aged under 21 on entry to higher education do not complete their degrees = 17.0% of male mature undergraduates and 12.3% of female mature undergraduates withdraw from their studies (HEPI, 2009: table 5) Attainment Male students are more likely to attain a 2:2 or a third class degree than female students. In 2009/1040.5% of male students attained a third or 2:2, against 35.1% of female students. (ECU, 2011: 13).
Despite improvements in opportunities, women remain concentrated in particular occupational secto... more Despite improvements in opportunities, women remain concentrated in particular occupational sectors and roles. What underlies this situation? Do women simply prefer distinct types of work? Or are current patterns more a function of external limitations on initial ambitions? Although there is a wealth of literature relating to gendered occupational segregation, there is comparatively little seeking to account for how work choices are made from the individual's perspective. Ruth Woodfield offers a detailed, qualitative exploration of over one hundred and eighty girls' and women's accounts of their journeys towards work choices. She examines narratives of work decisions and experiences through the lens of commentary on two neglected case study occupations - fire fighting and teaching - and explores the impact of the media, parents, teachers, as well as discourses of masculinity and femininity, individualism and collectivism, free will and constraint, on the development of t...
We report on quantitative and qualitative research conducted at the University of Sussex that has... more We report on quantitative and qualitative research conducted at the University of Sussex that has examined the question of whether a female preference for coursework exists, and whether such a preference is a key factor in female students' current success at undergraduate level.