Synergistic Use of Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice, Queer Theories, and Employment Relation Theories: A Perspective for Sustainable Transgender Inclusion at the Workplace

Abstract

Many transgender employees leave their employment even before they settle themselves in their workplace. Their inclusion in mainstream employment is a sensitive and emerging issue. As Bourdieu’s theory of practice promises to work at both the agency and structure level, I see great potential in integrating it with queer perspectives and employment relations theory. This integration can play a significant role in transgender inclusion in the workplace. Therefore, a potential model has been proposed to build a theoretical model using underpinnings from these theories. Based on the deductive approach, integration of queer theories and employment relation theory may enable one to understand queer habitus, capitals, and practices in the social field. I suggest that in the pursuance of taking forward queer habitus, capital in the social field (employment), Unitarian, Pluralist, and Marxist views from the premise of employment theories can add empathy and sensitivity. Therefore, in this study, I intend to present a perspective through an integrated model derived from concepts from these theories. In the future, this model can be explored for observational confrontation and synergistic use to check workplace reality and to seek sustainable transgender inclusion at the workplace.