Third ISA Forum of Sociology (July 10-14, 2016)

378

Gender, Culture and Technologies in the Knowledge Economy

RC32 Women in Society (host committee)

Language: English

Given the continued global growth of knowledge-based economies that transcend national boundaries and physical spaces, the papers in this session focus on the interplay of cultural factors and technologies in the identities of women professionals in knowledge-intensive industries. Specifically, these papers document how interactions between gender, culture and technologies shape women’s participation in the knowledge economy.
In spite of being half of the population of the world, having increased access to education and increased labour force participation, women continue to dominate traditional fields but are still severely underrepresented in new techno-science industries, accounting for only slightly more than a quarter of all scientific researchers. Researchers examining gender and techno-science have documented how gender inequalities and politics, built into research institutions and the broader society, have implications for scientific creativity, excellence and benefits to society. There is a loss of human capital and productivity when women are not fully integrated into the knowledge economy.
Understanding how women knowledge workers’ identities and career trajectories in high-tech knowledge-based workplaces are shaped by interactions with both socio-cultural practices and technological artefacts can shed light on how these women professionals stay in their profession, advance in their field and work to the best of their potential. The outcomes will improve education and training programs designed to improve workforce participation in knowledge hubs and provide initial insights into the improvement of inclusion of women in knowledge economies. Posters: