Cultural stereotypes and professional self-socialisation in the transition from education to work

Abstract

A key insight from studies of gender segregation is that the allocation of different groups to different positions in the labour market is strongly related to ascribed status. Shared gendered cultural beliefs generally portray men as more competent and of a higher status than women, and position some workers as more suited than others to perform different types of work and tasks. Yet, although much work has been done on status and gender segregation, this research tends to overlook the intersections of gender, race, and ethnicity. This study contributes to the literature by examining how skills and competence are valued in traditionally gender- segregated professions that have seen an increased influx of immigrants and ethnic minorities. Drawing on 66 qualitative interviews with Norwegian students, the study analyses, first, how gender, racial, and ethnic stereotyping of tasks and competencies affect the students’ aspirations in transition from education to work, and second, how the intersection between race, ethnicity, and gender plays out quite differently in different professions. Theoretically, I develop the concept of ‘professional self-socialisation’, which points to the process whereby individuals adapt and redefine their aspirations to the gendered, ethnic, and racial hierarchy of suitability within their profession.

Keywords:

• Aspirations
• cultural stereotypes
• gender segregation
• intersectionality

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Jorun Solheim, Jon Rogstad, Mette Løvgren, Arnfinn Midtbøen, Marjan Nadim and the research group Equality, inclusion and migration at Institute for Social Research, for valuable comments on an earlier draft of the article.