Abstract
Deeply embedded cultural assumptions about appropriate women's and men's work have persisted throughout human history. Embedded in attitudes about professions and technologies are cultural notions of manhood and womanhood. In this paper, I discuss two examples, one from the ancient province of Lagash in present-day Iraq around 4,000 years ago and the other from mid-19th century America. These examples illustrate the hidden dimensions and gendered assumptions that underlay historical processes. They also demonstrate that barriers to change can be culturally mediated by employing effective strategies that balance present needs with prevailing perceptions about appropriate gendered workplaces and professions.
| Original language | English (US) |
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| Pages | 260-265 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| State | Published - 1999 |
| Event | Proceedings of the 1999 International Symposium on Technology and Society (IEEE ISTAS '99) 'Women and Technology: Historical, Societal, and Professional Perspectives' - New Brunswick, NJ, USA Duration: Jul 29 1999 → Jul 31 1999 |
Conference
| Conference | Proceedings of the 1999 International Symposium on Technology and Society (IEEE ISTAS '99) 'Women and Technology: Historical, Societal, and Professional Perspectives' |
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| City | New Brunswick, NJ, USA |
| Period | 7/29/99 → 7/31/99 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Engineering