The Glass Ceiling Revisited

Abstract

Gender continues to shape organizational life in profound ways. Theorizing about gender in public institutions has been scarce. This article is an attempt to reinsert gender in our research agenda. First, macro-level theories of gender in organizations are discussed; then, the literature in public administration is surveyed. The author contends that the theory of representative bureaucracy provides a tremendous theoretical platform for understanding gender’s sociocultural forces as well as normative avenues and prospects for change. Such an approach will move us beyond description (i.e., lack of representation) to a better understanding of how gender is deployed and acquires signification in organizational life.