Original
Negotiating Presence: The Dynamics of Passive Representation Among Ultra‐Orthodox Women in Public Organizations
Abstract
ABSTRACT Studies in representative bureaucracy have focused on whether passive representation translates into active representation. We shift this analytical lens by conceptualizing passive representation not as a static demographic condition or a preliminary stage, but as a dynamic organizational process. Drawing on 15 in‐depth interviews and a focus group with 14 ultra‐Orthodox women serving in mid‐ and senior‐level public positions in Israel, we examine how passive representation is enacted, negotiated, and gradually institutionalized in male‐dominated settings. Findings show how women's underrepresentation structures their entry and advancement through informal expectations and gendered networks, and how women “negotiate presence” by building legitimacy through heightened professionalism, creative networking in the face of gender segregation, and strategic engagement with supportive leaders. Through mentoring and gate‐opening practices, our participants created ripple effects that increased access for others over time. We argue that passive representation is a relational and evolving mechanism shaped by role interpretations and organizational constraints, reshaping access and participation even without formal policy changes.
中文
协商在场：公共组织中极端正统派女性被动代表性的动态
摘要
代表性官僚制研究关注被动代表是否转化为主动代表。我们转变这一分析视角，将被动代表概念化为一种动态的组织过程，而非静态的人口条件或初步阶段。基于对以色列14名担任中高层公共职位的极端正统派女性的15次深度访谈和一个焦点小组，我们考察被动代表如何在男性主导的环境中得以实施、协商并逐步制度化。研究发现，女性的代表性不足如何通过非正式期望和性别化网络塑造其进入和晋升；女性如何通过强化专业主义来建立合法性、在性别隔离下创造性地建立网络，以及战略性地与支持性领导者互动，从而“协商在场”。通过指导和开门实践，我们的参与者产生了涟漪效应，随着时间推移增加了其他人的机会。我们认为，被动代表是一种关系性和演化性机制，受角色解释和组织约束塑造，即使没有正式政策变化，也能重塑进入和参与。
关键词
被动代表、代表性官僚制、极端正统派女性、公共组织、性别、以色列、协商在场、制度化