About the Book
Work remains much as it always has: men occupy the vast majority of leadership roles and are overrepresented in positions from engineer to plumber. We see many jobs as “male” or “female,” with women dominating in healthcare and childcare professions. Pretending that this is the natural state of things—or that, instead, both sexes should submit to working 24/7—is just not right.
In Patriarchy Inc., Cordelia Fine examines with razor-sharp and quick-witted analysis why gender inequality is embedded in the workplace and why it has to change. Drawing on theories from evolutionary science, psychology, economics, and sociology, she examines two of the most prominent movements in the corporate world. The Different But Equal viewpoint espouses that women are in the jobs they want despite their lower status and salaries. In the meantime, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) has become a slogan that emphasizes productivity and profit, not fair play. Fine shows how both are wrong and the bad effects on everyone when men are still stuck in traditional breadwinner roles and women are having to fight for their due.
Offering perceptive and much-needed insight into the current state of work, Patriarchy Inc. explores how we can get closer to achieving equality, even if it means upturning business as usual.
About the Author :
Cordelia Fine is a professor of history and philosophy of science at the University of Melbourne. The author of highly praised works, including Testosterone Rex, which won the Royal Society science book prize, and Delusions of Gender, she lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Review :
"Engaging… Fine makes sensible suggestions for long-term progress… Patriarchy Inc. is an astute book, and an easy read — all credit to Fine’s sharp humour. There is an impressive array of studies and data here, and Fine links them well."
"By revisiting gendered outcomes in the workplace and the explanations for the persistent evidence of inequity, Fine seeks to rejuvenate the campaign for gender justice and make it, again in Mill’s words, 'a living belief.'"
"An analysis of the persistent inequalities in who does what and who gets what in the world of work. Fine argues that rather than tick-box initiatives from HR we need effective, common-sense reforms that will make workplaces and society fairer and freer for everyone."
"A deep dive… This in-depth exploration of the tangled mess of biased employment practices is recommended for public, business, and academic library collections."
"Patriarchy Inc. fearlessly cuts through the misconceptions and assumptions about workplace inequality… A dose of sanity for the modern working world."
"With wit backed by meticulous research, Cordelia Fine examines unquestioned assumptions and glib maxims about choice at work and what both sexes want, as opposed to what they are being pressured to do. You’ll laugh, you may or may not cry, but you will certainly fume."
"If you are a woman and have ever been trapped in a monologue with a man telling you about your ‘female nature’?you should read this book. If you are that man?I dare you to read it. If you are neither, you will love this book which shows that we have all been defined against the core of our true natures, and invites us to think again about what we might be and how we might live."
"This book makes intriguing science and gender research come alive. It’s a wonderful way of learning while enjoying great stories and occasionally laughing out loud."
"Where does patriarchy come from, and why does it still rule every society? Cordelia Fine tackles this monumental problem with wit and rigor, unmasking the many ways that power does what it always does: preserve itself. From the “mindshaping” of boys and girls to our perennially distorted labor markets, Fine uncovers the real roots of our global gender system and offers hopeful solutions for creating a more humane work culture for all."
"Excellent and incredibly timely."
"Why is it that throughout the western world, most of the high-paid, high prestige posts are held by men? Not because this reflects innate differences in ability or personality. Not because it reflects average differences across the genders in human capital. Not because men and women have different conceptions of the good life, and make choices reflecting these. Not for any single, simple, reason. Patriarchy Inc. is informed, nuanced, penetrating, written with understated passion but wonderfully free of leaden moralising."
"Combining feminist economics with a close analysis of scientific 'justifications' for inequality, Fine offers fascinating, convincing answers to the question of why, if some women have so much choice and DEI initiatives are so widespread, men retain so much dominance in the workplace. As in Delusions of Gender and Testosterone Rex, complex ideas are delivered clearly and wittily, with the author once again unafraid to tackle research into sex differences that feminists are supposedly unable or unwilling to deal with. Both entertaining and enraging, this is a brilliant resource for any woman who has been told 'it's not really a gender pay gap' or been faced with inclusion policies which tell her she's the one in need of fixing."
"This book provides a timely analysis of how problematic patriarchal structures are negatively impacting our lives. It offers a comprehensive examination of prevalent myths and misconceptions surrounding gender equality issues in contemporary society, supported by robust scientific evidence. Cordelia doesn't shy away from taking on some of the established notions around gender and gender roles. This book is an essential resource for anyone interested in gender equity."
"With her trademark command of theory, marshalling of social scientific evidence, and ear for le mot juste, Fine makes a powerful case for a new approach to gender in the workplace, one that would make work fairer, more secure, and more rewarding for all of us."
"In Patriarchy Inc., Cordelia Fine once again demonstrates her remarkable ability to provide a fresh and critical view, this time to tackle the persistent problem of gender inequality in the workplace. She skillfully dismantles both the 'Different But Equal' defense of workplace inequality and the corporate-friendly DEI approach, offering instead a compelling new framework for understanding how gender hierarchies persist in modern workplaces. Fine's characteristic wit and incisive thinking make this essential reading for anyone interested in creating genuinely fair and productive workplaces."
"If you have ever wondered why WWII code-breaker films are full of women typing away at proto-computers and nowadays programming is the domain of tech bros, read this book. It is an engaging, humorous, and deftly argued account of why the modern work places remains challenging if you don’t look, dress and act like ‘the man’."
"Why do women still earn so much less than men? If you thought it was just the playing out of biological differences or the judgements of the market, Cordelia Fine's excellent new book, erudite, witty and always a pleasure to read, will set you straight. She also explains clearly the complex cultural and social forces that actually maintain inequality and offers some radical and compelling suggestions on how we should move forward. It should be read by anyone who wants to understand gender in the twenty-first century."
"Cordelia Fine has done it again! Somehow, she is able to take a serious topic, decant decades of research into informative and persuasive prose, all whilst bringing a wry smile to the reader's lips. Fine illustrates how the pivot away from fairness arguments in the pursuit of gender equality to 'the business case' has failed to deliver. She punctuates the perpetual nature/nurture debate employing an interdisciplinary perspective to trace how and why contemporary gendered divisions of labour emerged and to resuscitate efforts to bring about a new vision of real equality for both women and men."
