Discourses of Resistance
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2020-07-07
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en
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Abstract
The low number of women in top positions has been subject to numerous political debates, as are the measures taken to increase this number. One of these measures, is the implementation of a gender quota. Implementing a gender quota is about regulating equality in numbers, and not about creating cultural change. They are considered a controversial tool and are often contested, resistance is an inevitable consequence of the implementation of a gender quota. Several studies underscore the importance of resistance in equality strategies and acknowledge its discursive nature, however, little research has been conducted on what the nature of resistance entails. This research reveals the discourses of resistance as it answers the following question: How is resistance towards a gender quota in the Netherland discursively constructed? An interview study was conducted including twelve respondents, followed by a critical discourse analysis. Four discourses of resistance were found: a discourse of ineffectiveness, a discourse of false universalisms and political principles, a discourse of male power and political survival and a discourse of gender and leadership norms. This research shows how resistance towards a gender quota is constructed and how these constructions differ between the respondents working in listed and non-listed companies.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen