Gender Equality in the Swedish Educational Sector: A Case Study on Swedish Academia

Abstract

This chapter presents a case study on gender equality in the Swedish educational sector based on interviews with heads of departments from three universities. It examines the organizational prerequisites for working with gender equality in academic settings in Sweden. After sketching the political efforts to achieve gender equality in academia from the early 1990s, the chapter explores the self-image of academia and its emphasis on meritocracy. The in-built contradiction between academic values and the political ideal of fairness is made visible. The study addresses the realities of mandatory attention to gender equality, focusing on those responsible for fulfilling the mission at the lowest level in the academic hierarchy. The interviews capture inherent tensions between managerial governance and academic collegiality. This indicates that department heads are often trapped between their compulsory tasks as managers and their loyalty to values and practices deeply rooted in academic culture. Their focus tends to be confined to equal treatment as opposed to gender equality, and it seems hard to institute proactive measures impacting the structural dimensions of gender equality.