Young women, employment insecurity and financial independence in England
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: Faculty of Arts and Social Sci (FASS)
Abstract
Citizenship is dependent on both membership and participation in a community, both of which are
gendered, and dependent on economic security, which is itself gendered. Employment insecurity
limits participation within society and thus substantial, effective citizenship. The proposed research
project investigates citizenship in the context of employment insecurity and its impacts on the
financial independence and social participation of child-free young women between the ages of 18-
30 in England.
The proposed research frames citizenship as 'social citizenship', and suggests that 18-30 year old
child-free women in non-permanent work - a group that is overlooked in social policy discourses
and debates - can offer unique insights for thinking about social citizenship, the wider sociopolitical
context of insecurity, the rise in non-standard forms of employment, and the relationship
between them. These young women do not belong to a community of permanent workers, and
without children, their experiences also challenge socially and politically recognised roles for
women of their age group. The proposed research is thus significant, providing a unique case study
for analyzing women's citizenship and relationship to social policy.
The study adopts a mixed methods approach, with different samples for different stages of the data
collection. First, an online survey will draw on a national sample of young women in insecure
employment between the ages of 18-30 in England. Then, qualitative interviews will be used for a
geographical sample with the same age group. The proposed research is of great importance,
considering that young women navigate an unequal world, where they are vulnerable to labour
market inequalities and other gender based discrimination and risks. It also captures a moment of
social change from the norm of secure to insecure employment, and provides an opportunity for
interrogating the relationship between employment, citizenship and the welfare state in this context.
gendered, and dependent on economic security, which is itself gendered. Employment insecurity
limits participation within society and thus substantial, effective citizenship. The proposed research
project investigates citizenship in the context of employment insecurity and its impacts on the
financial independence and social participation of child-free young women between the ages of 18-
30 in England.
The proposed research frames citizenship as 'social citizenship', and suggests that 18-30 year old
child-free women in non-permanent work - a group that is overlooked in social policy discourses
and debates - can offer unique insights for thinking about social citizenship, the wider sociopolitical
context of insecurity, the rise in non-standard forms of employment, and the relationship
between them. These young women do not belong to a community of permanent workers, and
without children, their experiences also challenge socially and politically recognised roles for
women of their age group. The proposed research is thus significant, providing a unique case study
for analyzing women's citizenship and relationship to social policy.
The study adopts a mixed methods approach, with different samples for different stages of the data
collection. First, an online survey will draw on a national sample of young women in insecure
employment between the ages of 18-30 in England. Then, qualitative interviews will be used for a
geographical sample with the same age group. The proposed research is of great importance,
considering that young women navigate an unequal world, where they are vulnerable to labour
market inequalities and other gender based discrimination and risks. It also captures a moment of
social change from the norm of secure to insecure employment, and provides an opportunity for
interrogating the relationship between employment, citizenship and the welfare state in this context.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Nicola Yeates (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Sarah Hadfield (Student) |