Catch-22: token women trying to reconcile impossible contradictions between organizational and societal expectations

Chaudhry, Sara (2023) Catch-22: token women trying to reconcile impossible contradictions between organizational and societal expectations. Work, Employment & Society 37 (1), pp. 39-57. ISSN 0950-0170.

Abstract

Extending tokenism theory, and Kanter’s (1977a & b) work on numerical representation within organisations, we emphasize the societal context of gender inequality in order to understand token women’s lived experiences at work. Based on analysis of 29 in-depth interviews in a multinational (MNC) situated in the distinctive socio-institutional setting of Saudi Arabia, the paper expands Kanter’s (1977a) typology of roles, to capture token assimilation in a context-embedded way. In particular, we explore the interaction of a seemingly Western MNC espousing liberal values, rules and norms with the enduring patriarchal and traditional context of Saudi Arabia. Further adding texture to Kanter’s (1977a & b) theory, this study reveals that the organizational context cannot be seen as fundamentally neutral and inevitably interacts with the societal context, resulting in unique manifestations of tokenism.

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