‘A Man's World? Gender, Networking and Careers in the European Commission'

According to the existing literature, women choose a career in the public sector due its egalitarian ethos, but find that they are disadvantaged compared to men in pay and career opportunities.  This paper explores these issues in the case of the European Commission. Using original data drawn from responses to an online survey (n=1901) and from a structured programme of interviews (n=148), it compares the educational and professional backgrounds of male and female officials, the motivations cited by men and women for joining the Commission, their career patterns, and their networking behavior.  The findings further understanding of gender differences in the labour market and make an important contribution to existing scholarship.