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Recent Developments in the Uneasy Tension Between Family and Career: Competency-Related Perceptions of Women and Mothers

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Military Deployment and its Consequences for Families

Part of the book series: Risk and Resilience in Military and Veteran Families ((RRMV))

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Abstract

In this chapter I summarize my own research, other current research, and theory, as well as provide anecdotal evidence from the popular press regarding career-related perceptions of women and mothers at work. Women are often categorized as less career-dedicated and career-competent because of real or perceived caregiving roles, which tend to be devalued even in contemporary work environments. I conclude with the significance of this phenomenon for career-active female spouses of military personnel and women seeking leadership positions in the military, as well as ideas for future research and implications for practitioners.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    As Hill, Martinson, Ferris, and Baker (2004) point out, fewer women appear to be on what has been termed the “mommy track,” as it is often not feasible for economic reasons. And, as an anonymous reviewer suggested, perhaps it is time to let go of the term “mommy track” because it may serve to increase negative stereotypes about working mothers.

  2. 2.

    As an exception to this, and as the documentary film Lioness (Room 11 Productions) illustrates, the U.S. policy banning women from serving in direct ground combat has been, in practice, violated during the Iraq War.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Managerial Studies, College of Business Administration, University of Illinois at Chicago, 601 S. Morgan Street, 2212 University Hall, MC 243, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA

    Jenny M. Hoobler Ph.D.

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  1. Jenny M. Hoobler Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Jenny M. Hoobler Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Military Family Research Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

    Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth

  2. Dept. Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    David S. Riggs

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Hoobler, J.M. (2014). Recent Developments in the Uneasy Tension Between Family and Career: Competency-Related Perceptions of Women and Mothers. In: MacDermid Wadsworth, S., Riggs, D. (eds) Military Deployment and its Consequences for Families. Risk and Resilience in Military and Veteran Families. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8712-8_12

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