Abstract
This research offers a perspective on the interface between work and private life as a complex interaction between individuals’ strategies, preferences, social contexts and relative value that they individual give to their different identities (Desrochers and Sargent, 2004; Kossek and al , 2012; Clark, 2000). It relies on a qualitative study on 15 female journalists in France’s main audiovisual media : France Televisions. By describing their different identity dynamics - professional, organizational and personal- and the strategies used by the latter to reduce tensions between their different identity demands -relinquish, differ and conciliate- it contributes to three theoretical fields: the theory of « borders », the plural identity dynamics literature and the glass ceiling literature. More precisely, this filed research confirms that the “choice” to opt for one of the three “strategies” is linked to the values and preferences of individuals, but also to the social context (Desrochers and Sargent, 2004; Kossek and al, 2012; Clark, 2000). It shows that in a “mission-driven” organization, the organizational stratum has a status of its own for women who do not give up their other two identities. Finally, it denies the common idea that hierarchical ascent is presented as both difficult and desirable, in the context of vocational or mission-driven professions, such as journalism as studied, but also teaching and research, medicine or sport.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Identity Women Career Tensions
