Gendered Labor Exploitation and the Reproduction of Inequity: Structural Conditions Shaping Higher Education

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Division J Section 6: Roundtable 2

Abstract

This action research study examines gendered labor exploitation within a Catholic, private, predominantly white institution in the Midwest using Social Reproduction Theory, Feminist Participatory Action Research, and counter-narrative methodology. Drawing on interviews with twelve women across faculty and staff roles, the research surfaces the institutional reproduction of inequity through devalued care work, symbolic commitments to community, and performative diversity efforts. Through three counter-narratives, the study reveals how capitalist, gendered, and religious structural conditions reinforce labor inequities in the higher education context. These dynamics not only harm employees but also send powerful messages to students, perpetuating inequity through the institutional culture they experience. The findings call for transformative action aligned with justice and institutional values.

Author

• Madeline Michelle Weiler, University of Dayton