“Power From Within” and Masculine Language: Does New Age Language Work at Work?

Abstract

This study investigates the use, by women, of New Age spirituality (NAS) language in the workplace. Quantitative and qualitative data collected in New Zealand and Israel show that women reported using NAS language more than men, and that NAS language are generally silenced. Results show that if not calculated correctly, women’s use of NAS can lead to the loss of social capital and cultural capital in the workplace. In addition, women use NAS language as a set of ideas that shape the way they behave, as a form of “power from within,” and as “spiritual capital.” The article draws out some implications for theory on language and power in the workplace, by showing that silenced languages may remain alive within people, directing responses and actions, and for feminist research, by suggesting that women’s spirituality should be considered as a factor in explaining the interpretation and negotiation of workplace challenges, by women.