This article discusses how women working as civil engineers within the UK construction industry perceive work-life balance and considers strategies they use to achieve this. The findings are presented of a qualitative research project that explored the experiences of women in this role, focusing on the subcultural context of a profession that is dominated by the values of presenteeism and infinite availability. A feminist poststructuralist framework is used to analyse how women negotiate their personal and professional time and the extent to which their other roles as carers and nurturers unsettle male work practices in this highly gendered profession. There are gradually increasing numbers of women in professional construction roles and their success appears to depend on being able to fit in to the dominant masculine culture of long working hours and the male pub gathering. Despite an increased presence, women's minority status in construction continues to challenge their professional identity and this is central to the conflict many face between the dual roles of corporate worker and private non-work person.

This qualitative study contributes to knowledge about the strategies women use to establish their presence in professional roles in the highly gendered construction sector.The article focuses on construction site culture that is hierarchical and 'laddish' with sexual harassment an entrenched feature of life on site. Women find this threatening but are unable to challenge it, because being part of the 'building team' requires their silence. These negative experiences contrast with the pride expressed in their socially useful work bringing both aesthetic and technical satisfaction. Modernization of the industry that one participant framed as 'dragging it out of the dark ages' was seen as a priority.The two most pressing issues are the long-hours culture and the conflict-ridden nature of the sector. A feminist interpretive lens is used to draw out the continuing problems women face in the industry and concludes that the prospects for change to cultural practices remain bleak. KEY WORDSconstruction / feminist / professional occupations / sexual harassment / women

A B S TR AC TAlthough women's experience of working in management has been studied extensively, the particular challenges they face in this role within male-dominated professions merits further attention. This article draws on research into the career experiences of women civil engineers in the UK to critically discuss the possibilities for women to pursue a management pathway within construction. A feminist theoretical framework has been used to analyse data from 31 in-depth interviews with women working in both the consulting and contracting parts of the industry. The study highlights cultural issues of visibility and the presenteeism ethos of the sector as well as the material constraints of construction sites. Women are taking up senior management posts but only in very few numbers. Their success depends on assuming 'male' norms and in these roles they straddle a marginal territory that is bordered by exclusion and resistance. K EY WO R D Sconstruction / feminist / male-dominated / management / professions / women

The PhD viva has been described as mysterious (Burnham, 1994;Morley et al, 2002), unpredictable (Rugg and Petre, 2004) and potentially fearful for students (Delamont et al, 2004), with its form and duration a function of the predilections of individual examiners as well as a function of differences across disciplines. Despite its myriad manifestations the PhD viva voce (live voice), as oral examination of the doctoral thesis, constitutes the final 'test' of the PhD endeavour. In the UK this is a private event, though in some countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands, for example, the viva is conducted in a public arena (Delamont et al, 2004). Although there is no standard or prescribed format, students across all disciplines can expect to defend their thesis with this involving questioning, clarification and discussion of key elements. This critical commentary discusses a number of issues that inform the preparation of students focusing on the role of the internal and external examiner, the viva voce process, guidance for students and some practical suggestions for supervisors and students, particularly the value of full role-play in building students' confidence. The extent to which the doctoral viva, in its current 'secret' form, can be seen as a fully accountable and independently rigorous process is taken up in the conclusion that highlights the phenomenon of 'cosy' reciprocal examining arrangements, the spectre of litigation when things go wrong and the need to consider a fundamental review of both the purpose and conduct of the viva.

Feminist research practice is firmly established within the academy and is concerned to develop ways of understanding reality that place women at their centre. However, researching women who do not identify with feminist aims presents feminist researchers with particular challenges in relation to appropriate method and ethical practice. This article discusses these challenges focusing on the issues of ‘gatekeeper’ access, informed consent and the impact that the insider researcher role has on ‘truth telling’. Ideas offered are a critical reflection on qualitative research undertaken into the career experiences of women civil engineers in the UK. The extent to which the inside knowledge of the researcher gives rise to shared understandings and a ‘common’ language, and the ways this creates empathy across a ‘political’ and theoretical divide are discussed. An ethics of care model of feminist research practice that suggests that the line between empathy and exploitation is, in reality, a fine one, is considered. This article argues that researcher integrity is complex and dynamic; it functions along a continuum of practical constraint that involves mutuality, negotiation and re-negotiation of boundaries with participants.