Gender, work and care

Researching gender relations and gender inequalities in employment and domestic life, with a particular interest in international comparisons.

We aim to contribute to research and policy debates concerned with:
• Gender equality policies and practices in the UK and Europe, including the cultural and structural barriers and enablers to challenging and reforming inequalities
• The gendered division of labour (housework and caring for children and elders), with a particular focus on fathers and fatherhood, and the conditions associated with fathers’ potential involvement in childcare and housework.

Research themes
Our current and recent projects include:
• New ESRC-funded project: What drives successful organisational cultural change? Putting theory into practice and practice into theory.
• Gender, leadership and senior decision-making positions, including: research on gender diversity and corporate boards and Research on Athena SWAN, women’s under-representation in professorial positions in Higher Education.
• Fatherhood and fathers' involvement in childcare.
• Working-time policies, job quality and work-life balance.

Research with impact
We are committed to making sure that our research has the widest possible impact and we work closely with policymakers, governments and charities to do this.

Our work has a strong international focus. Colette is one of two academic European experts appointed to the Eurofound Advisory Board and we are the UK team for the European Commission's advisory network SAAGE (Scientific Analysis and Advise on Gender Equality in the EU):

Our research has shaped European-level employment policy recommendations advocated by key international organisations including United Nations International Labour Organisation (ILO), the European Union (EU), the European Commission (EC), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

The project team at Manchester
• Colette Fagan
• Nina Teasdale
• Helen Norman
• Caitlin Schmid

Affiliations
• Work and Equalities Institute
• Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research