Research Article

Segmenting and equalizing narratives in the ILO's standard‐setting practice

Authors: Jenny HAHS (Collaborative Research Centre 1342 “Global Dynamics of Social Policy”, University of Bremen) , Ulrich MÜCKENBERGER (Centre for European Law and Politics (ZERP), Collaborative Research Centre 1342 “Global Dynamics of Social Policy”, University of Bremen, Germany)

  • Segmenting and equalizing narratives in the ILO's standard‐setting practice

    Research Article

    Segmenting and equalizing narratives in the ILO's standard‐setting practice

    Authors: ,

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Abstract

This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.

In shaping the employment relationship internationally, the ILO initially reproduced the Western normative narrative of the standard employment relationship (SER). When the global South and women gained a stronger voice within the ILO, a contrasting egalitarian narrative emerged, challenging the SER hegemony and creating a layering of narratives. Combining historical institutionalism and structuration theory, the authors follow the development of these narratives and consider how the resultant legal and normative conflicts between them can be explained by focusing on the composition of ILO membership and the representation of women in International Labour Conferences over time. The authors draw a number of legal‐political conclusions from their findings.

Keywords: gender equality, labour market segmentation, legal segmentation, global South, global North, international labour standards, ILO, standard employment relationship

Rights: © 2021 The Authors. International Labour Review © International Labour Organization 2021, published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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