Yrkesmuligheter og sosial mobilitet for kvinner i Hamar rundt 1900: Metodologi og funn : [Occupational Opportunities and Social Mobility for Women in Hamar, Norway, circa 1900: Methodology and Results]

• An understudied area with respect to research in women’s professional lives in Norway is how individual characteristics could influence occupational choices. This is also true for research on socially influenced occupational opportunities and opportunities for social advancement and degradation (i.e., social mobility). This article first discusses a methodology that allows for an analysis of women’s occupational opportunities and social mobility where social background is taken into consideration. The article then presents findings related to these areas for unmarried women between the ages of 15 and 30 living in the Norwegian town of Hamar in 1891 and 1910. A particular focus concerns the developmental trends between 1891 and 1910, which are situated with respect to the growth of the market economy as well as changes in women’s rights. Using the methodology, and despite the methodological challenges, the findings are clear: Women with different social backgrounds had different occupational opportunities. There was a great deal of social replication and some social degradation, but only limited social advancement, both in 1891 and 1910. Far from all women immediately benefited from the expansion of their rights within education and business. More women could avoid degradation by 1910, in large part because of the expansion of the clerical professions.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Historia och arkeologi -- Historia (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- History and Archaeology -- History (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Ekonomisk historia (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Economic History (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Social mobility

methods

Norway

women's occupations

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)