Global flexibilised capitalism and processual intersectionality. Changes in occupational inequality by gender and migration

Abstract

Capitalism is manifesting a deepgoing transformation. Concurrently, intersectional inequalities are reorganised and differentiating in more complex ways. In the first part, these changes in capitalism are discussed in a global intersectional perspective. Then current approaches to intersectionality are compared and the concept of processual intersectionality is introduced to analyse the ongoing transformation. In the second part, the first longitudinal research on changing intersectional inequality in Germany 1996–2011 is presented. Whereas in 1996, migrants and autochthonous women were excluded from management, in 2011 migrant men with German passports have been incorporated, but women are still excluded. Academic professions and midrange occupations have been opened for migrant men and women, mainly with German passport. However, many migrant women from Eastern Europe and Turkey with foreign passports are segregated into unskilled work. Gender and migration thus have been differentiated and intersectional inequalities in work are more complex. These changes should be reflected in the intersectionality debate.