Networking to Nowhere

"Networking to Nowhere deftly observes the irony that networking has become a standard of DEI programs even though networks marginalize women. Ethel Mickey's detailed arguments are firmly grounded in existing literature on gendered and racialized organizations yet brought to life through engaging storytelling and vivid characters. This book will resonate with all women working in professional settings, underlining the truth that those who feel stuck in their career progression should not blame themselves for failing to effectively network. Instead, as Ethel Mickey demonstrates, networking itself is the problem."—Christine Williams, author of Gas-Lighted: How the Oil and Gas Industry Shortchanges Women Scientists

"Networking seems like such a benign process, but this book shows how it is imbued with cultural and social expectations that maintain persistent gender disparities. Networking to Nowhere is a timely, incisive look at why the tech industry remains so unwelcoming to women."—Adia Harvey Wingfield, Mary Tileston Hemenway Professor of Arts and Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis

“'Network, network, network' has become the mantra of management gurus advising aspiring workers. Mickey's eye-opening investigation of networking in the tech industry vividly illustrates why networking fails women. Informal networking at happy hours and sports events can lead to harassment for women and promotions for men. The women's employee networks championed by executives burden volunteer leaders, reinforce members' outsider status, and fail to connect members with powerful men who could help them move up. Networking to Nowhere is a great read and a vital call to action."—Frank Dobbin, Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences, Harvard University