Gendered economies: Transferring private gender roles into the public realm through rural community development

Making visible the ‘space of betweenness’: understanding women's limited access to leadership in regional Australia

“…In particular, the more local the focus of the organization, the more accessible the roles have been for women. The Area Consultative Committees and Regional Development Boards, with their stated roles of 'facilitating' interaction, are apparently more open to women (Sheridan et al 2006), as such activity is consistent with the linking of the public and private -work traditionally seen to be the domain of women (Midgley 2006). In contrast, those leadership roles more closely associated with 'men's Local government plays an essential role in regional communities as 'it is the tier of government with the greatest interest in locality-based development' (Eversole and Martin 2005, 59).…”

“…While Midgely (2006) adapted the term 'space of betweeness' (sic) to describe women's economic involvement in their communities more generally, through their linking of the private and the public, we argue the term has an even greater significance for employed (including self-employed) women in regional communities. For these women, there are multiple dimensions to their location in a 'space of betweenness'; they are not only women, and so in the pervading ideology of western market economies often constructed as 'non-economic' (Midgley 2006;Cameron and Gibson-Graham 2003), they are often 7 involved in (service) roles linking the private and public (Staeheli 2003) and they are also in the (physical) space between the city and the farm gate. This combination renders much of their activity invisible and, as we argue, can go some way to explaining women's continued poor representation in visible leadership roles in their regions and beyond.…”

Copreneurship in rural tourism: exploring women's experiences

“…The longstanding traditional connection between women and their domestic location is not confined to the rural (Midgley, 2006). However, for rural women, it has been an association that "has endured with little questioning or change" (Little and Austin, 1996, p. 103).…”

“…However, for rural women, it has been an association that "has endured with little questioning or change" (Little and Austin, 1996, p. 103). Midgley (2006) observes that as rural restructuring continues, accompanied by changing socioeconomic relations and available opportunities, an increasing number of women are participating within the formal economy, both in the labour market and as entrepreneurs. "Women's lives and their actions are becoming more economically visible through work conducted into rural women's economic roles, based primarily on levels of formal and informal employment, and the negotiation of this within household strategies and community life (Whatmore, 1991;Little, 1997;Shortall, 2002;Bennett, 2004)."…”

“…For many, the solution to balancing work and family commitments lies in part time work, while others work unsociable hours, so that they can earn a living yet still be available to look after children (Countryside Agency, 2003, p. 5). Midgley (2006), comments, importantly for this research, that due to traditional associations of women with the domestic economy and the prioritisation of research and policy interests surrounding publicly traded waged labour, the inner workings and the economic practices of women within rural households have often been hidden from view. Shortall, similarly, observes that "the approach to rural development may have changed but a particular gendered ideology persists" (2002, p. 172).…”