Latinas cross the IT border: Understanding gender as a boundary object between information worlds

Authors

  • Kathleen Burnett Florida State University
  • Manimegalai M Subramaniam University of Maryland (beginning Fall 2009)
  • Amelia Gibson Florida State University, College of Information

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v14i9.2581

Keywords:

Latinas, Hispanics, information technology workforce, gender, boundary object, information worlds, emergent content analysis.

Abstract

How do successful Latina IT professionals construct and reconstruct their conceptions of gender before, during, and after contact with the information world of the IT industry? We conducted semi-structured phone interviews with five Latinas who held senior management positions in IT firms in 2008 to explore their reasons for choosing and persisting in the workforce. Using the theory of information worlds as a framework for analysis of gender as a boundary object, this article reports four trends in the perceptions of these women dealing with the relationship between gender and success in IT.

Author Biographies

Kathleen Burnett, Florida State University

Florida State University, College of Information, Associate Professor

Manimegalai M Subramaniam, University of Maryland (beginning Fall 2009)

College of Information Studies, University of Maryland, Assistant Professor (beginning Fall 2009)

Amelia Gibson, Florida State University, College of Information

third-year PhD student at the Florida State University College of Information

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Published

2009-08-24

How to Cite

Burnett, K., Subramaniam, M. M., & Gibson, A. (2009). Latinas cross the IT border: Understanding gender as a boundary object between information worlds. First Monday, 14(9). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v14i9.2581