Le donne marittime: fra stereotipi di genere, discriminazioni e scarse opportunità occupazionali                   

Working Paper CNR-Ircres 1/2022

Le donne marittime: fra stereotipi di genere, discriminazioni e scarse opportunità occupazionali

Barbara Bonciania, Silvia Peverib

aCNR-IRCrES, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto di Ricerca sulla Crescita Economica Sostenibile, via Real Collegio 30, 10024 Moncalieri (TO), Italia.

a, bUniversità di Pisa – Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere, Via Paoli, 15, Pisa

corresponding author: barbara.bonciani@sp.unipi.it

Abstract

The presence of women in the maritime world has been systematically canceled for centuries, overshadowed or, if recognized, even objectified. Although today they can actually be hired as seafarers on board, there are still some cultural barriers. This paper analyzes the main concerns about the living and working conditions of women seafarers in order to promote research on this topic, still poorly explored. At the basis of the exclusion of women from the maritime environment there is a dense network of stereotypes and social beliefs that identify gender roles and they attribute women opposite characteristics to the male ideal type. The space of the ship, the highly hierarchical power structure, the confinement and the exaltation of “hegemonic masculinity” determine an environment in which women are generally identified as inadequate compared to male colleagues. They are often the object of harassment and aggression, discrimination and inequality in employment.

The maritime sector is one of the world’s most profitable. However, it has significant gray areas. It is a symptom that huge movements of capital do not automatically correspond to better living conditions for the employed crew. Among the many critical elements there is gender segregation. Furthermore, due to numerous issues, men and women seafarers represent an invisible category to the eyes of international safeguards. To achieve a more diverse workforce, it is essential that women are visible.

Keywords: seafarers, socio economic labour condition, gender equality, maritime transport, women empowerment.

JEL codes: J81

DOI: 10.23760/2421-7158.2022.001

How to Cite this Article

Bonciani, B., & Peveri, S. (2022). Le donne marittime: fra stereotipi di genere, discriminazioni e scarse opportunità occupazionali (CNR-IRCrES Working Paper 1/2022). Istituto di Ricerca sulla Crescita Economica Sostenibile. Disponibile da http://dx.doi.org/10.23760/2421-7158. 2022.001