Yoshiko Nozaki

The present study explores the shifting perspectives of women's labor market participation in relation to gender dynamics of marriage and childrearing in the United States. First, the study looks at U.S. statistical data concerning women's labor participation, career trajectories, and the glass ceiling phenomena to demonstrate that the pattern of U.S. women's labor participation has shifted to the U curve from the M curve of the 1960s, but that very few women reach top executive positions. Although we can describe the situation of the women conceptually by using the term "glass ceiling", it is not clear what the term specifically addresses, which calls for case studies. The present study, then, proceeds to examine the case of former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Michel Flournoy, the Pentagon's highest-ranking woman in history, who resigned from her position in order to be at home for her teenaged children. The study analyzes the interview text of Flournoy with National Public Radio (NPR) and the comments made by listeners (these texts are available at the NPR website). The analysis shows that Flournoy made the choice to leave her position not because she was forced to take on childrearing responsibilities at home, but because she regarded it as once-a-life-time opportunity, that she was quite content with her decision, and that she thought that it was not the "end" but a "stop" of her career. The comments of listeners were diverse, including a suggestion for a new life course for women and a question concerning the lack of media interest in working class women. The study concludes by discussing the issues of "time" (or "work-life balance") for working women in general, and women assuming leadership positions in particular.