Do the new Asian economies encourage gender equality? Ann Brooks provides a unique insight into this question by assessing the impact of the new economy and the changing labour market on women in Asia. The research is set against the backdrop of Southeast Asia more generally and international comparisons are also drawn.
'This book is a major contribution to a field that remains unexplored and unmapped: the working lives of professional women in Hong Kong and Singapore. In Ann Brooks's hands this subject functions also as a lens into the gender dimensions of larger social and organizational change in today's global economy and its specific on the ground operations.' Saskia Sassen, University of Chicago, USA 'Gendered Work in Asian Cities combines theoretical analysis of globalization and inequality with detailed empirical work in specific locations. It enriches existing literature on globalization, global cities and social changes through its gender perspective and empirical focus on South East Asia. This well written and carefully researched book pays particular attention to the lives of professional women in Hong Kong and Singapore, set within broader debates about globalisation, the new economy and inequality, as well as discussions of flexible citizenship, transnational labour and work cultures and the management of daily life illuminated through the author's own research.' Diane Perrons, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK 'Brooks does an excellent job weaving together a cross-disciplinary literature review with excerpts from a detailed set of interviews to illustrate how growth of the global knowledge economy, legal changes, new patterns of work and the persistence of traditional social norms have created both opportunities and obstacles for professional women...readers across disciplines will find that the book's interview excepts offer an illuminating and unique account of the issues facing Asia's professional women during a period of rapid structural change.' Asian-Pacific Economic Literature '...a fascinating read...this book contains fascinating data and interesting insights into the lives of professional women in Hong Kong and Singapore.' Gender and Education 'Brooks' approach of writing about women's roles and their work-pla
