Making visible the 'space of betweenness': understanding women's limited access to leadership in regional Australia

Abstract:

In this article we proffer the metaphor of a ‘space of betweenness’ to explain women's limited access to leadership roles in Australian peak agricultural industry and regional governance boards. In reviewing the statistics around women's leadership roles in regional Australia, and women's own stories of their activities, we argue that despite women's contribution to their local communities through their diverse roles in paid work, it seems the triple jeopardy of their sex, their location and the nature of their businesses positions them in a ‘space of betweenness’, rendering them invisible and limiting their ability to access many formal leadership roles.