Expressions of gender – in a mono gendered setting
Abstract as pdf
Corresponding Author:
Nina Blom Andersen
University College Copenhagen Denmark
nban@kp.dk
Author(s):
Mikkel Bøhm•1
•1Senior Lecturer, MIBO@Kp.Dk, DNK
Expressions of gender – in a mono gendered setting
17.11.2019
The local Danish Rescue and Fire Services are characterized by a very low percentage of female fire fighters. A number of initiatives have been launched to increase the obvious imbalance, however a rapid shift in this inequity is not expected due to several circumstances: e.g. a number of cultural constraints and a minimal turn over among fire fighters.
Due to this, male dominance is expected among fire fighters for a period of years from now. In this paper, we will address some of the organizational challenges in a cultural setting that is heavily dominated by men with the point of analytical departure in the question: How is masculinity enacted in a culture of male members?
One of Denmark’s largest fire and rescue services, with a large proportion of full time employees (in opposition to part time or voluntary fire fighters) have recently implemented new principles of training, exercises and courant examinations of the employees. This has triggered several reactions in the organization: Sceptisime, anxiety, critisisme and reluctancy among some. One of our preunderstandings is, that the social category of gender is central to understand and learn about the responses to the novel mandatory training courses – and not least for the organization to comply to the negative reactions.
Based on a method of participating observations two reseachers have initiated a study that implies an initial analysis of the learning culture that investigate have gendered practices of learning might produce constrains towards the newly implemented practices in the organization. One male researchers who is part of the organization besides being occupied with research, and one female researcher with a very limited experience of operational firefighting.
How differences matter in emergency, risk and crisis management