For the past two decades, uneven development in general and the changing structure of the labour market in particular, have figured prominently in Canadian economic, social and political agendas. Indeed, one of the most dramatic trends in Canadian society has been the growth of labour force participation by women--this despite a seemingly unstable economic picture. While numerous studies exploring the national dimensions of a feminised work force have provided insight into the complex nature of female paid employment, less work has been done on the uneven, regional nature of restructuring and processes contributing to gendered employment patterns. Through a comparative spatial analysis of employment and occupational trends and regional functional specialisation, this research shows that: (a) regional space-economies exercise an important influence on the creation and reproduction of gendered divisions of labour, and; (b) integrative studies connecting 'global processes' to 'local experience' offer unique insight into the restructuring experience. In examining these themes, Cornwall in Eastern Ontario is used as an example of an 'old order' manufacturing centre undergoing profound industrial and community restructuring. Research focuses on the time period between 1986 (a time of relative prosperity) and 1991 (a recessionary time, immediately following the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States). Central to this study is the notion that including gender as a 'necessary' analytical category in deconstructing the social relations of production will help inform more comprehensive explanations of regional economic and social change. The design and implementation of the research programme follows the feminist principles of reflexivity, responsibilily to participants, and shared knowledge.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/10282 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | McKenna, Megan K. L. |
| Contributors | Roberge, Roger, |
| Publisher | University of Ottawa (Canada) |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 223 p. |
Page generated in 0.0016 seconds