Pallares-Barbera, Montserrat  <br/><br/>
Social networks as the backbone of women’s work in the Catalan Pyrenees/ 

 -  Sage,  2019. 
 - Vol 26,  issue 1, 2019 : (65-79 p.). 
<br/><br/> This paper discusses how historically the accumulation of symbolic power by men produced a glass ceiling for women in the Catalan Pyrenees and how women have overcome this constraint by engaging in male-led networks, founding gender balanced networks and developing women-nurtured networks. Through semi-structured qualitative interviews and ethnographic research, the paper investigates the strategies women employed to maintain their involvement in networking activities over a 10-year period. The paper identifies the importance of being connected with horizontal organizations and the empowerment of sharing experiences provided by social bridge agents. The results of this research make a strong case for more inclusive and gender-aware policies in rural areas as a means to promote economic and social viability while empowering women. 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>Gender inequality,<br/> rural areas, <br/>social bridge agents,<br/> social capital, <br/>social networks, <br/>symbolic power