Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Social Construction of Sexual Harassment Law - A Cross-National Proposal for Research

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The productivity and well-being of the American workforce is much affected by hostile work environments that encourage or actually constitute sexual harassment. At the same time, suits from disgruntled employees who allege sexual harassment against firms that have not engaged in that illegal behavior can threaten profitability, productivity, and efficiency. The legal standards used to judge what constitutes a hostile work environment remain controversial. This study will examine the relationship between national and organizational legal cultures and the construction of sexual harassment law within organizations. It will be built upon three detailed case studies of domestic and multinational organizations spanning the United States and Austria. It will bring to comparative sociolegal studies a consideration of the impact of international legal environments that has been lacking in previous studies of the ability of organizations to integrate law into their work. The project will promote understanding of how individuals interpret and use sexual harassment law within t he contexts of their organizations.