Rural Women in Leadership

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Lori Ann McVay. Rural Women in Leadership

Rural Women in Leadership

Contents

Introduction

Identifying the Gaps

Addressing the Gaps: Conducting Research

Analysis

Overview

1. Situating the Study: A Review of Relevant Literature

Introduction

1.1 Gender. 1.1.1 Gender identities and relations

1.1.2 Gender roles

1.1.3 Summary: Gender relations, identities and roles

1.2 Rural Women

1.2.1 Gender relations in rural studies

1.2.2 Farm women

1.3 Organizations and Organizational Constraints. 1.3.1 Organizations

1.3.2 Organizational constraints

1.4 A Brief Sociological Analysis of Leadership

1.4.1 Women in leadership

1.4.2 Rural women in leadership

1.5 Contextualizing the Study: Rural Women in Northern Ireland

Summary: Intersection of this Study with Broader Literature and Research

2. Introducing the Methodology and Participants

Introduction

2.1 Feminism and Methodology. 2.1.1 Why feminism?

2.1.2 What defines ‘feminist methodology’?

2.1.3 Challenges to feminist methodology

2.2 Research Design

2.2.1 Aims and objectives

2.2.2 Site

2.2.3 Data gathering

In-depth interviews

Participant observation

Reflexivity

2.3 Analysis. 2.3.1 Method of analysis: the ‘Listening Guide’

2.3.2 Limitations of analysis and representation of participants

2.4 Participant Profiles

2.4.1 Identity: Rural

2.4.2 Identity: Woman

2.4.3 Identity: Leader

2.5 Profile: Families of Origin and Present Family Structure

2.6 Profile: Religion and Church Involvement

2.7 Profile: Educational Experiences

2.8 Profile: Extracurricular Activities

2.9 Profile: Developmental Leadership Opportunities

Summary: Participant Profiles

3. Setting a Baseline: Case Studies

Introduction

3.1 Alice 12. Introduction to the first case study

3.1.1 Step 1 – Plot (Alice)

Story number one: Schooling process

Story number two: Guiding Association involvement

Story number three: Leadership journey

Researcher’s social location, relation to participant, emotional response. SOCIAL LOCATION: ACADEMIC

SOCIAL LOCATION: FEMINIST

SOCIAL LOCATION: DAUGHTER OF A RURAL FAMILY

3.1.2 Step 2 – I-Poems (Alice)

3.1.3 Step 3 – Contrapuntal voices (Alice)

Relational

Team Member

Leader

Uncertainty

Feminist

Traditional

Synthesis of voices

3.1.4 Analysis (Alice)

External factors: People, organizations and events

External Factors: People. FAMILY

OTHER SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE

External Factors: Organizations. SCHOOL

COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

CURRENT EMPLOYER

EVENTS

Internal factors: Individual thought processes and choices

3.2 Doreen14. Introduction to the second case study

3.2.1 Step 1 – Plot (Doreen)

Researcher’s social location, relation to participant and emotional response. EMOTIONAL RESPONSE

SOCIAL LOCATION: ACADEMIC

SOCIAL LOCATION: FEMINIST

SOCIAL LOCATION: PARTICIPANT IN THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION

Story number one: Childhood poverty

Story number two: Schooling process

Story number three: Leadership journey

Story number four: Spirituality

Story number five: Helping other women

3.2.2 Step 2 – I-Poem (Doreen)

‘I mean’

‘I remember’

‘I look’ (or ‘I see’)

Passive voice to active voice

3.2.3 Step 3 – Contrapuntal voices (Doreen)

Transformer

Feminist

Evangelist

Leader

Synthesis of voices

3.2.4 Analysis (Doreen)

External factors: People, organizations and events

External factors: People. FAMILY OF ORIGIN

MENTORS

HUSBAND AND HUSBAND’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN

OTHER PEOPLE

External factors: Organizations

External factors: Events

Internal factors: Individual thought processes and choices

Summary of Case Studies

4. Listening Closely: External, Internal and Key Factors

Introduction

4.1 External Factors – People, Organizations and Events

4.1.1 External Factor number one: People

Family of origin

Models of leadership

Models of community involvement

Models of equality

Valuing of education

Educators

Co-workers and mentors

Summary – External Factors: People

4.1.2 External Factor number two: Organizations

Church/religious organizations

Educational institutions

Extracurricular activities and community involvement

Summary – External Factor number two: Organizations

4.1.3 External Factor number three: Events

‘The Troubles’

Negative situations

Leadership training

International travel

Developmental leadership experiences

SCHOOLING YEARS

PARTICIPATION IN SPORT

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

LEADERSHIP ABROAD

FOUNDING ORGANIZATIONS

EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE THEIR CURRENT FIELD OF SERVICE

SUMMARY: DEVELOPMENTAL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES

Summary – External Factor number three: Events

Transition: From the external to the internal

4.2 Internal Factors – Individual Thought Processes and Choices

4.2.1 Internal Factor number one: Openness

4.2.2 Internal Factor number two: Passion

4.2.3 Internal Factor number three: Confidence

4.2.4 Internal Factor number four: Persistence

4.2.5 Internal Factor number five: Initiative

4.2.6 Internal Factor number six: Internal Drive

4.2.7 Internal Factor number seven: Outspokenness

4.2.8 Internal Factor number eight: Operating as a Team Member

4.2.9 Internal Factor number nine: Self-identification as Leader

Summary: Internal Factors – Individual thought processes and choices

4.3 Key Findings and Crucial Supports

4.3.1 Returning to the case studies

Key Factors emergent in the case study of Alice

Key Factors emergent in the case study of Doreen

4.3.2 Discussion: Key Factors emerging from all interviews

Key Factor number one: Supportive People

FAMILY

MENTORS

OTHER CONNECTIONS

Key Factor number two: Education

Key Factor number three: Leadership Training and Practical Experience

COMMUNITY, YOUTH, RELIGIOUS AND WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PARTICIPATION IN SPORT

CURRENT EMPLOYER

Key Factor number four: Setting and Achieving Goals

VISION

PERSISTENCE: PASSION AND POSITIVITY

OPENNESS

Key Factor number five: Confidence (Belief in Self)

Summary of Key Factors

4.4 Reconnection with Literature

4.4.1 Gender identity and roles

4.4.2 Legitimization of non-participation

4.4.3 Leadership as an elusive concept

4.4.4 The role of family in leadership development

4.4.5 The dual necessity of training and practical experience

4.4.6 Rural women’s organizations and community involvement

4.4.7 The role of organizations in leadership development

Summary: Chapter 4

Conclusions

End Notes

References

Index

Отрывок из книги

Rural Women in Leadership

Positive Factors in Leadership Development

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For farming women, these difficulties frequently have their roots in the method of entry into farming, which most often comes through marriage and can dictate the extent to which they are able to be involved in decision-making bodies and practices (Shortall, 2002; Alston, 2003). Farming associations are facing increasing pressure as all-male organizations become less socially acceptable, but the positions to which women are given access are predominantly on subcommittees (Shortall, 1999). One particularly relevant example of this limitation in acceptable decision-making roles comes from Northern Ireland’s Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU). It was not until 1996 that the UFU (founded in 1918) appointed a woman to their eighty-member executive committee. Interestingly, of the twenty-eight members of the UFU’s Farm Family Committee, also established in 1996, twenty-three of the twenty-eight members were women (Shortall, 2001). Alston (2003) points out that, while groups such as agricultural boards often claim that appointment is based on merit, women are still routinely excluded from appointments, even when their education levels are higher than other candidates. Such exclusionary practices form what she has termed ‘the grass ceiling’ (Alston, 2003, p. 479). Other examples identified by Alston include: communities with ‘particular views’ of women, unlimited terms of leadership, unclear selection criteria and processes, the ‘old boys’ network’ and a lack of commitment to gender equity (Alston, 2003, p. 479).

Pini (2003b) also touches on this subject when writing of the reluctance of mostly male agricultural organizations to elect women – even when their experience and qualification are recognized by the voters. Alternatively, one venue in which women have been able to participate more fully is in women’s farming organizations. However, as noted by Shortall (1999), these organizations are labelled by gender (women’s organizations as opposed to farming organizations), and the issues they wish to address are often kept to the periphery of male-dominated farming organizations’ agendas. In Northern Ireland this is also true of rural women’s networks, which, in spite of having a vibrant presence and role in rural communities, have met with continuous difficulties in obtaining long-term funding (Macaulay and Laverty, 2007). It is at this point that our review of literature brings us to the focal area of this study – rural women in leadership.

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