Women - An appendix of models of the future? The gender-blind discourse onthe future of work

On the basis of the report of the Future Commission set up by the Friedrich -Ebert-Foundation, the article discusses the gender bias of discourses on t he future. Firstly it focuses on the aspect of gender with regard to the st ruggle for the distribution of work; secondly it takes into account the dif ferences between East and West-Germany; finally it discusses two aspects of the report: On the one hand the reform project of the Future Commission em phasizes the need to improve innovative capacities and to strengthen human resources as a precondition for maintaining competitiveness and high-skille d jobs in economic sectors that face international competition. On the othe r hand the Commission suggests a low-wage job market that is socially accep table. Both strategies have unspoken consequences for the gender system and the gender division of labour.