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Call for Papers: Constructionist/Institutional Influences on Gender and Entrepreneurship

International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship (Emerald)

Institutions are critical influences which structure how we order our actions and environment. While institutional/constructionist theory is well established in the social sciences and has also been explored within organizational theory regarding management and business issues, it has been relatively under employed as an analytical framework to explore entrepreneurship. Regarding the extant research surrounding gender and women, the general tone of the discussion has tended to reflect a comparative binary approach that positions men and women and their businesses as essentially different. Contemporary critiques of this stance suggest that this presents a picture of separate spheres of activity which is overly simplistic and unrepresentative of business venturing/ownership. This approach both ignores the isomorphic influence of institutions and conversely, the manner in which they shape and reproduce differences such as those articulated through gendered characterization and hierarchies.

We believe that institutional/constructionist approaches will offer a novel lens to understanding gendered experiences of entrepreneurship while contributing to the sophistication of the current debate. Consequently, we invite submissions to this special issue of the International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship which explores the critical interface between institutional theory, gender and entrepreneurship; comparisons between countries and cultures are welcome. Issues we envisage which would be of interest would include but not be limited to:

• The impact of gendered institutions such as: the nation state, the family, corporation, economy, data and statistics, labor market, regulatory regimes, religion et cetera.
• Masculinity and/or femininity as normative frames which impact women, men, business and society
• How statistics, data collection and analytical processes are gendered and create a particular explanation of entrepreneurship
• The construction and enactment of the gendered entrepreneurial identity
• Any other issue of relevant debate which accords with the theme of this special edition

One page expressions of interest are welcome. Please contact the Editors:

• Helene Ahl (Jonkoping University, Sweden): helene.ahl@hlk.hj.se
• Susan Marlow (Montfort University, UK)  smhum@dmu.ac.uk
• Teresa Nelson (Simmons College, US): teresa.nelson@simmons.edu

Final papers are due by July 15th 2009, with publication envisaged in Spring 2010. All papers will be double blind reviewed. Final manuscripts should be submitted via the IJGE online submission system:  http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ijge with authors indicating that they are submitting for this special issue. (See author guidelines at: www.emeraldinsight.com/ijge.htm) NOTE: The International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship is a new academic journal which aims to facilitate the natural evolution of the field by drawing together the very best research contributions on gender and entrepreneurship from around the world.

__________________________

Teresa Nelson, Ph.D.

Elizabeth J. McCandless Chair in Entrepreneurship

Simmons School of Management

300 The Fenway

Boston, MA 02115

T: 617-521-3867

F: 617-521-3800

www.simmons.edu/management/nelson