The gendered production of infrastructure

Abstract

Over the years, many studies have documented how the negative impacts of infrastructure investments are disproportionately borne by women, the poor and racial minorities. In this paper, we focus on the ways that unequal gender dynamics are a key feature of the production of infrastructure, a topic that has received far less attention. In particular, we show how masculinity is deeply embedded in the organizational structures, employment practices, symbolic narratives and systems of power that create the vast arrays of infrastructure globally. We discuss the implications of a masculinist network of infrastructure development, and point to directions for future research.