Gender stereotyping is a widely described and documented process that permeates working life in western societies. It is characterized by ascribing greatly simplified attributes to women and men and forging a dualistic view of gender in which women and men are conceptualized as antipodes to each other. Through this ongoing reproduction of simplistic views; contradictions, variations and complexities are concealed, together with the richness of individuals' competence and experiences. Intimately related to this gender stereotyping are assumptions that distinct kinds of jobs and positions fit either men or women. In this article I investigate the constructions of motherhood and fatherhood as important elements in the processes of gender stereotyping. I argue that the production of stereotypes is part of an inter-discursive contest which has a significant impact on gender relations and women's opportunities. My discussion derives from an anthropological study of one workplace.
Different conceptions of youth are presented in research, the mass media, and political debates. These conceptions may be seen as cultural constructs that are part of the cultural repertoire against which young people develop, investigate and test their identity. 'The eyes' of the public construct confront the young person in his or her search for identity How young people-interact with these constructs, and how they themselves conceptualise young adult life will be discussed in this article, which addresses self-images of the 'young adult life' of Swedish men and women between the age of 18 and 30, born in 1968-1979. I will compare the self-images of young people chart emerge in discourses about expectations and strategies for the future, especially in relation to the labour market: how do young people view their current life? Do their views differ from the images of flexible young people who give priority to the present, and to exploring the large range of life styles and cultural activities, that emerge in the mass media and research?
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