Equality or illusion? : A qualitative study of structural and cultural phenomena in the equality expert reality.

This study is about experts in equality. These experts have extensive knowledge and the cultural and structural phenomena that effects individual’s way of looking at equality. European Gender Equality Index for the first decade of the twenty first century shows that equality is far from reaching its structural aim for equality. The purpose of this study is to find out how cultural and structural phenomena effects equality in organisations, how the experts experience these phenomena and what role they play in the experts work for equality. The study is based on a qualitative approach and has given empirical material through seven interviews with experts. To best understand and present the empirical material I have chosen two theoretical perspectives to work with. Out of these theoretical perspectives four concepts: gender, norm, gender segregation and homochirality has been used to explain the findings. The result shows that historically inherited structural and cultural phenomena still control many parts of equality. The construction of equality is still portraited by men as the norm even though findings also show segregation within the female gender. Homosociality excludes women and gender is no longer only between men and women but between masculine and feminine. Findings also suggest that even the experts are questioned in their gender when implementing equality in organisations. This study has contributed with deeper insight into equality experts prerequisites to structural and cultural phenomena