scholarly journals The Lived Experiences of Queer* Teachers in İstanbul within the Scope of Institutionalized Heteronormativity and Neoliberal School Policies

Author(s):  
İlkan Can İpekçi

Even though the challenges that Queer* employees face in the workplace because of their intersecting identities of gender, sexuality, race, and class continue to be one of the rarely studied topics in social sciences, there has been a resurgence of interest in recent years, concerning how Queer* teachers experience the conflation of their sexual and professional identities. Informed by the recognition that schools are one of the most representative prototypes of gendered organizations with their ever-adapting regimes of inequality, this study is motivated by the question of how Queer* teachers in İstanbul deal with the enduring institutionalized homophobia, which has only got worse in terms of its silencing and pathologizing mechanisms. Claiming one of the fundamental functions of schools to establish strictly heteronormative spaces of learning, where any form of gender nonconformity or sexual dissidence stands before disciplinary punishment or reprimand from other students and teachers, I have examined the current working conditions of Queer* teachers in İstanbul within the contexts of schools, which compel Queer* teachers to abide by their institutionalized rules and norms of compulsory heterosexuality. This study attempts to learn what kind of experiences Queer* teachers in İstanbul articulate regarding the conundrum of being forced into presenting themselves as non-sexualized and non-gendered professional figures, as neoliberal policies and capitalist expectations of a rigid separation between professional identities and personal lives of workers continue to negatively affect the occupational well-being of Queer* teachers. A careful analysis of the interviews has revealed that the Queer* teachers in İstanbul are burdened with the aesthetic labor they are constantly expected to perform due to the emergent neoliberal schemes of professionalism and that they suffer under closely monitoring mechanisms of heteronormative school policies and work climates.

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-15
Author(s):  
Bob Little

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to set out the results of research which showed the gender pay gap among graduates and outline some of the steps being taken to combat this. In particular, it outlines the Sprint programme, developed for women undergraduates. This programme aims to add value to the overall student experience at university, improve employability and help to ensure that each undergraduate – regardless of her subject, department or career aspirations – can develop to her fullest potential. Design/methodology/approach – This paper comprises results of research carried out by Oxford University’s Careers Service. It also contains the results of interviews with the developers, deliverers, sponsors and users of the Sprint programme – a programme which was developed as a response to these research findings. Findings – The Sprint programme helps women focus on their studies at university, achieving results such as improved visibility and effectiveness in tutorials, better time management, less study stress, a boost in confidence and self-esteem. They also use Sprint to sharpen their career goals, raise their aspirations, explore possibilities and to take advantage of the work shadowing, internships and mentoring often offered by corporate sponsors. Participants in the Sprint programme also tend to find it also helps them to achieve results in their personal lives – such as sorting out difficult relationships, improving fitness and gaining a better study/life balance. Research limitations/implications – It is possible to bridge the gender pay gap as well as benefit women in other ways via learning and development activities, such as those promoted via the Sprint programme. Practical implications – With help from programmes such as Sprint, women can achieve improved work visibility and effectiveness, better time management, reduced stress, increased confidence and self-esteem. This helps them achieve their career goals, raise their aspirations and generally develop their careers. Social implications – Women can be helped to compete effectively with men in the workplace as well as be successful in their personal lives (in terms of sorting out difficult relationships, improving fitness and gaining a better study/life balance). This offers many benefits for women – and for the well-being of society in general. Originality/value – The Sprint programme, along with the approach of The Springboard Consultancy, is unique. Although the Sprint programme is relatively new – having started in 2013 – it is already bearing positive results.


Retos ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 262-270
Author(s):  
Jenny Esmeralda Martínez Benítez ◽  
LLuisa Aitana Sauleda Martínez

Abstract: This study analyzes factors that may influence the expectations of practicing future sports. Among these factors, the motivation and resistance towards the practice of physical activity and sports from 300 students of the Central University of Ecuador are analysed. The metaphorical constructions of the students are also interpreted in relation to the impact that the physical activity and sports -PAS has in their personal lives. The metaphorical constructions of the students, in relation to the meaning that the PAS represents in their personal life are also considered and the students’ perception of their Physical activity and Sports teachers also is requested. Finally, the expectations of PAS practice that they express are taken into account. The methodology is qualitative with an interpretative approach. The data collection technique is an interview that allows you to understand the problem from the perspective of its protagonists. In the data processing, the Aquad 6 computer program is used, which allows the analysis of the narratives through categories and codes. The results show that motivation exceeds resistance, and that the lack of time is its great difficulty to practice. In the study of metaphors, the level of satisfaction indicated, coincides with the metaphors of the value of PAS in personal life as a source of well-being and health. The findings show high expectations which could be correlated with the positive satisfactions in practice, the image of the teaching staff and the vital relevance they attach to the PAS.Resumen: Esta investigación analiza factores que pueden influir en las expectativas de práctica deportiva futura. Específicamente, se analizan las motivaciones y resistencias hacia la práctica de actividad física y deportiva de 300 estudiantes de la Universidad Central del Ecuador. Asimismo, se analizan las construcciones metafóricas de los estudiantes en relación al sentido que la actividad física y el deporte- AFD representa en su vida personal. Estos resultados se relacionan con la percepción que los estudiantes tienen de su profesorado de Actividad Física y Deportiva y con la representación metafórica de la imagen del profesor de AFD que se les solicita. Finalmente, se analizan las expectativas de práctica de AFD que manifiestan. La metodología es cualitativa con un enfoque interpretativo. La recogida de datos se registra mediante una entrevista que permite comprender la problemática desde la perspectiva de sus protagonistas. En el procesamiento de datos se utiliza el programa informático Aquad 6, que posibilita el análisis de las narrativas a través de categorías y códigos. Los resultados evidencian que la afección supera a la resistencia, que la falta de tiempo es su mayor dificultad para la práctica. En el estudio de metáforas, las satisfacciones señaladas, la salud y la satisfacción en la práctica, coinciden con las imágenes del valor de la AFD en su vida personal como fuente de bienestar y salud. La opinión sobre el profesorado es positiva y la imagen metafórica muestra una visión idealizada del profesor en el que quieren convertirse. Los hallazgos muestran altas expectativas lo que podría correlacionarse con las positivas satisfacciones en la práctica, la imagen del profesorado y la vital relevancia que conceden a la AFD.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (79) ◽  
pp. 539-552
Author(s):  
Ana Heloisa Costa Lemos ◽  
Leila Sharon Nasajon Gottlieb ◽  
Alessandra de Sá Mello da Costa

Abstract Recent changes in the world of work have resulted in a greater level of work intensification. Whilst there have been gains in productivity, workers have been subject to increasing demands of both a physical and mental nature, which tend to have a negative impact on their well-being. Our interest in understanding this phenomenon has led to a qualitative study that seeks to analyse the experiences of professional graduates working in organizations that use high-performance practices, which tend to generate work intensification. The respondents revealed both the negative implications of work intensification, such as an increase in the working day, excessive pressure and sacrifices in their personal lives, as well as other aspects considered positive, such as learning, professional growth, autonomy and financial gains. These latter aspects deserve attention, since they can help us understand what leads qualified workers to accept intensified working practices.


2019 ◽  
pp. 370-394
Author(s):  
Denise Thew Hackett

This chapter dives into the exploration of how identities and the variables contributing to these identities converge. The author, a deaf counseling psychologist, uses the kaleidoscope as a metaphor to illustrate this process. She describes her own identity exploration as a deaf woman, including the ways that personal and professional identities have been influenced by multiple variables interacting with each other as illustrated by the movement of the various elements of the kaleidoscope. To broaden her understanding of her life journey, she relies on acculturation and intersectional theories and outlines how these theories fit with her experiences. She also examines the implications of deaf identity formation for psychological well-being.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Ah (Claire) Yun ◽  
Yunsoo Lee ◽  
Sharon Mastracci

Given its focus on customer satisfaction and quality service, emotional labor (EL) is a prominent topic in public administration. As public employees are engaged more often in EL, it is critical to explore determinants of job stress and management strategies to reduce it. By examining the Korean Working Conditions Survey, this study focused on EL’s effects on employees’ well-being—job stress and job satisfaction—as well as the potential moderating effects of workplace characteristics, such as working with a female manager, work–life balance programs or resources, and participatory management processes. We examined the potential moderating role of female managers engaged in EL in gendered institutions, and found evidence that female managers buffer EL’s negative effects on their employees, even in organizational contexts gendered deeply. This finding implies that EL needs to be considered in the context of organizational culture and environment, particularly when related to gendered, hierarchical, or masculine organizations.


Author(s):  
Arnoldo José de Hoyos Guevara ◽  
José Luiz Alves da Silva

The article presents a general scenario on the theme of Internet of Things - IoT, aiming to discuss the opportunities, the impacts and the associated risks, highlighting them under the sight of well-being in our lives and society in general. This paper deals with questions regarding accelerated and disruptive high-tech transformations, in order to be strategically prepared and to deal with challenges ahead. It is in the interest of all to know and anticipate the transformations that are underway and those that will be probable in the future, capturing the spirit of accelerated change that is around us, to prevent impacts, to draw personal strategies to seize opportunities and to avoid serious ruptures in our work and in our personal lives. The contribution for other studies is to allow ongoing discussions regarding the possible changes of behaviors coming from this new environment that will be made possible by the use of the IoT. Some of these behaviors are already on its way. Still, others are to be perceived and developed. This article presents, in the first topic, the new environment of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where it is inserted the concept of IoT. It advances, in the second topic, with the discussion of the extension of the usage of the new technology, its impact and its applications. And it ends discussing the behavioral changes that the massive use of this application may bring us regarding well-being.


This book offers a critical analysis of girls’ and women’s experiences in the justice system, from their initial contact with law enforcement to their interaction with prosecutors, judges, and other court officials. Examining the gendered organization of the justice system is an essential step towards gender equity and effective practice in diverse legal settings. This includes recognition of the way women’s intersecting identities influence their perception and experience of the law and the justice system. This book discusses the way gender intersects with race, class, and sexual orientation in ways that impact the legal status and psychological, behavioral, and economic well-being of diverse girls and women. It examines the way social norms regarding the rights of girls and women influence policies and procedures in multiple arenas of the justice system and highlights the role of psychology and helping professionals in shaping legal policy. Each chapter provides a summary of the research on specific female populations in diverse arenas of the justice system; outlines practical implications for training and interventions grounded in psychological research; and formulates new organizing principles for working with diverse women and girls in legal settings.


2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 424-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Norman ◽  
Alexandra Rankin-Wright

In shifting our gaze to the sociological impact of being in the minority, the purpose of this study was to substantiate a model of gendered social well-being to appraise women coaches’ circumstances, experiences and challenges as embedded within the social structures and relations of their profession. This is drawn on in-depth interviews with a sample of head women coaches within the UK. The findings demonstrate that personal lives, relationships, social and family commitments were sidelined by many of the participants in order to meet the expectations of being a (woman) coach. We locate these experiences in the organisational practices of high performance sport which hinder women coaches from having meaningful control over their lives. The complexities of identity are also revealed through the interplay of gender with (dis)ability, age and whiteness as evidence of hegemonic femininity within the coaching profession. Consequently, for many women, coaching is experienced as a ‘developmental dead-end’.


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