The “glass ceiling” in France: is the public sector more egalitarian than the private sector?

Abstract

The article compares the careers of women in top executive and high ranking positions in the public and private sectors in France. The first part presents a review of the main approaches and interpretations offered to the glass ceiling issue in the sociological literature. The second part investigates the common traits as well as the striking differences in the social logic of the construction of gender inequalities in careers, in both sectors. The public sector, for a long time, has seemed to be more “egalitarian” and open to women than private companies. However, in the conclusion, we question if this distinctive characteristic is disappearing.

Keywords:
Women; France; Public Sector; Private Sector