Arbetarskydd för kvinnor : Kvinnlig yrkesinspektion i Sverige 1913-1948

Sammanfattning: This dissertation deals with the Female Factory Inspectorate in Sweden 1913-1948. Its creation and activities and its approach to women and women's work are analysed from a genderperspective. The creation of a Female Factory Inspectorate was a consequence of industrialisation and subsequent changes in society and should be seen as part of the growing welfarestate in Sweden.The Female Factory Inspectorate was established after many years of campaigning byphilanthropic organisations and the feminist movement to arouse public opinion. The newinspectorate meant an institutionalisation of differences between men and women. The workat the Female Factory Inspectorate was concerned with questions of a social nature, such aseducation or morality, in contrast to that of the General Factory Inspectorate which focusedon technical questions. When the Female Factory Inspectorate was dissolved in 1948, theintention was to integrate the social questions into the General Factory Inspectorate.The Female Factory Inspectorate in Sweden had a pivotal position, having much contactwith workers, male as well as female, employers, civil servants and organisations. The inspectorate was thus able to influence legislation affecting women workers.In this thesis, the organisation of the Female Factory Inspectorate, its employees and itscharacteristics are explained and its development from a philanthropically-based organisationto a public authority is described. In the description and analysis of the practice of the femaleinspectorate, it becomes clear that the focus of its work was on the everyday life at the work-places. With this work the Female Factory Inspectorate contributed to the construction andreconstruction of female (industrial) workers.