Pop-up Exposition and Conversation Piece - The Circle redrawn, Women at Work
Gender equality in the workplace may seem self-evident in the Netherlands. Yet invisible barriers remain. Women still face inequalities that limit their careers, their financial dependence and their well-being. The pop-up exposition 鈥淭he Circle Redrawn, Women at Work鈥 invites visitors to reflect on the role of women in both paid and unpaid work. How does this relate to well-being, care responsibilities and social expectations?
Interaction and Dialogue
The exhibition aims to raise awareness of the complex system in which gender inequality at work still persists.
And we go further: we see the exhibition as a conversation starter because it also stimulates discussion and critical reflection. Visitors are encouraged to ask themselves whether their own actions are in line with their values, through interactive elements such as the (in Dutch) and the Help de Hulp initiative, made possible by the Future of Work hub. In addition, visitors can reflect on their views on paid menstrual or menopause leave and a symbolic vase filled with tampons.
The researchers involved in creating the exhibition want to take it further! We are organising dialogues and research related to the exhibition! We also offer a creative, design-oriented dialogue in which new topics are explored that have not (yet) been highlighted in the exhibition but are relevant to the theme of 鈥淕ender inequality at work鈥.
With these tools, the pop-up exhibition aims to create a dialogue between science and society.
Inclusive Labour Marktes
Following the initial trial run at the 木瓜福利影视 Library in the city centre and the main exhibition at the international conference on Inclusive Labour Markets in Utrecht on 8 and 9 September 2025, this exhibition can be further developed and displayed in new locations. Are you interested in hosting (part of) the exhibition and initiating a discussion on this topic?
The central focus is on the challenges women face balancing work and well-being in today鈥檚 Dutch society. The Pop-up exposition also shows how many of these challenges, such as the division of care work, are rooted in historical developments and cultural norms. Themes such as hormonal dynamics, a structural blind spot in workplace contexts, and the mental load of both paid and unpaid work are made tangible through thought-provoking panels.
Feel free to contact us
Send an email to the organisers.
This pop-up exhibition has been made possible in part by the Sector Plan 鈥淧rosperity, Participation and Citizenship in a Digital World鈥. Researchers and lecturers from four faculties at Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 are working together to explore these important themes in research, education and in a dialogue between science and practice.
About the Organisers
This pop-up exposition was developed by an interdisciplinary group of researchers with a shared focus on women, work, and well-being. They were supported by a project leader and an intern, who helped bring the pop-up exposition to life.
- Full professor European Social Policy
Sonja is the co-organizer of the scientific conference. She is facilitating a space for the pop-up exposition at the conference to raise awareness about gender inequality at work. She is a leading researcher and professor with an interdisciplinary background, currently working at the Faculty of Law. Her expertise lies in transformative labor markets, vulnerable groups in the labor market, and social policy within an European context.
- Gender, Economic Development, Social Welfare
Sarah is a researcher in the History Department, specializing in social and economic history. She is involved in the supervision of Amber (intern). In her research she focused on family structures and gender inequality throughout history. At the moment she is focused on childcare and its historical roots connected to the emancipation of women. Furthermore, she works to amplify the underrepresented voice of women in history.
- Work and Health, Well-Being
Marijn has a background in social, health- and organizational psychology. The connection of these disciplines become concrete in her interest in the 3Ms (menstruation, motherhood, menopause). She researches how 3M influences the way women function in the workplace. With her research she is committed to removing the taboos surrounding these topics and filling the research gaps.
Jelena has an interdisciplinary background in both (health) psychology and economics. She is primarily interested in research on intersectional inequality, focusing on people in vulnerable positions, including women. Additionally, she aims to combine her different disciplines in research to address questions around reproductive health.
- Informal Care, Family Law, Adult Protection Measures, Welfare State, Social Security, Family Relationships, Health Law
Femke has a background in law and has conducted research on informal caregiving from this perspective. Within this research, she delved into the distribution of caregiving tasks and how policies and regulations support informal forms of caregiving. In this study, her interest was drawn to the inequal position between men and women regarding informal care.
- Family Sociology, Social Demography, Social Stratification, Country Comparison
Anne is a family sociologist, currently conducting research on divorce and the complexities resulting from it. In her previous research, she has investigated family structures and the factors that influence people's choices around cohabitation and marriage. In addition, she is working in projects with other researchers on the research regarding the division of care/work tasks between men and women.
Sophie is a PHD student in the history department, specializing in social and demographic history. Her research focuses on the history of childcare in the Netherlands. She is interested in how this is related to the emancipation of Dutch women and why childcare came into existence relatively late in the Netherlands.
, project supporter for setting up the pop-up exposition. In addition, she supervises Amber (intern) on a daily basis. In this project it is her role to make sure that the pop-up exposition can stimulate interaction with science and society.
Amber van der Putten was the intern responsible for organizing the pop-up exposition. She has an interdisciplinary background (social sciences and history ) which helps her connecting the group and all the knowledge that is available. Moreover, in her education she has been especially interested in gender inequality. Her role in the project is to bring everyone together and gather all the input to create and organize the pop-up exposition.