Doing Gender: Gender Practices and Negotiations among Student Interns in Pekanbaru
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Abstract
This study examines how gender is enacted and negotiated in the internship experiences of university students at the Secretariat of the Riau Provincial Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) and the Pekanbaru City General Election Commission (KPU). Using a qualitative descriptive-exploratory approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and focus group discussions (FGDs). The data were analyzed thematically through West and Zimmerman's Doing Gender perspective, particularly the concept of accountability. The findings indicate that task allocation was generally perceived by student interns to be based on work requirements and individual competencies rather than gender. However, informants also recognized gender expectations concerning appearance, communication styles, assertiveness, and confidence in the workplace. Their responses involved observing organizational practices, adjusting to workplace norms, and considering how and when to express their opinions. These responses were shaped by their position as interns within hierarchical organizational structures, which limited their scope for action. This study demonstrates that internship experiences constitute a space for social learning in which students encounter and interpret the relationship between gender expectations, professionalism, and organizational culture.
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