Operationalizing Intersectionality: an Approach to Uncovering the Complexity of the Migrant Job Search in Australia

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Author(s)
Ressia, Susan
Strachan, Glenda
Bailey, Janis
Year published
2017
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This paper explores the complexities surrounding the lived experiences of skilled migrant women and men from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESBs) who arrive in Australia and attempt to seek work. The paper will analyze the migrants' experiences using intersectionality theory as a framework. Drawing on Anthias's social relations framework, this research will contribute to the field by demonstrating how intersectionality theory can be operationalized to understand the complex lived experiences of disadvantaged groups. The research will reveal how being a new migrant in Australia, unfamiliar with local job search processes, ...
View more >This paper explores the complexities surrounding the lived experiences of skilled migrant women and men from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESBs) who arrive in Australia and attempt to seek work. The paper will analyze the migrants' experiences using intersectionality theory as a framework. Drawing on Anthias's social relations framework, this research will contribute to the field by demonstrating how intersectionality theory can be operationalized to understand the complex lived experiences of disadvantaged groups. The research will reveal how being a new migrant in Australia, unfamiliar with local job search processes, complicates jobseeking. The paper will show how gender and family roles impact this process, especially when young families are involved. Both genders suffer downward occupational mobility, with men seeking any type of work to get by, and women gravitating towards insecure forms of employment, or exiting the labour force, in order to manage the family unit.
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View more >This paper explores the complexities surrounding the lived experiences of skilled migrant women and men from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESBs) who arrive in Australia and attempt to seek work. The paper will analyze the migrants' experiences using intersectionality theory as a framework. Drawing on Anthias's social relations framework, this research will contribute to the field by demonstrating how intersectionality theory can be operationalized to understand the complex lived experiences of disadvantaged groups. The research will reveal how being a new migrant in Australia, unfamiliar with local job search processes, complicates jobseeking. The paper will show how gender and family roles impact this process, especially when young families are involved. Both genders suffer downward occupational mobility, with men seeking any type of work to get by, and women gravitating towards insecure forms of employment, or exiting the labour force, in order to manage the family unit.
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Journal Title
Gender, Work & Organization
Copyright Statement
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Operationalizing Intersectionality: an Approach to Uncovering the Complexity of the Migrant Job Search in Australia, Gender, Work & Organization, Volume 24, Issue 4, July 2017, Pages 376-397, which has been published in final form at 10.1111/gwao.12172. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-828039.html)
Note
This publication has been entered into Griffith Research Online as an Advanced Online Version.
Subject
Gender Specific Studies
Business and Management
Sociology
Other Studies in Human Society