Academic Women Research Articles

‘I spend lots of time on my appearance’: unpacking Chinese academic women’s gendered subjectivities through the lens of bodily performance

ABSTRACT Through the use of photovoice interviews as a research method and drawing on Butler's performativity theory, this article investigates the performative constitution of the subjectivities of three academic women in Chinese non-elite universities by unpacking the multiple meanings of their aesthetic experiences. The study reveals that these women emphasized their bodily performance in the workplace, paying particular attention to their physical appearance, including dressing and using make-up, to explicitly perform their femininity. In this study, academic women’s gendered subjectivities are produced by repetitive performative feminine bodies under the control of wider regulatory forces in terms of gender norms and institutional discourses. Our findings suggest that gender norms of beauty in the Chinese context have a profound impact on the three Chinese academic women’s choice of dress and appearance management. We conclude that (i) femininity matters during the process of academic women’s gendered subjectivity construction in the Chinese academic context; and ii) multiple and sometimes contradictory wider regulatory forces within and beyond the academia shape Chinese academic women’s bodily performance and, therefore, produce academic women’s gendered subjectivities.

Patient Attitudes on Collection of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data in a Women's Health Clinic with an Embedded Transgender Medicine Program.

Purpose: We examined patient attitudes about the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data in a mixed sample of sexual and gender minority (SGM) and cisgender heterosexual people. Methods: SOGI questions and an evaluation questionnaire were administered to a convenience sample of patients presenting at an academic women's health clinic with an embedded transgender medicine program. Clinic census is ∼10,000 patients, which includes some 1000 cisgender males and 800 transgender patients. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Our methods expand on prior study in this area through implementing an analysis which divides the sample into three groups; cisgender heterosexual, cisgender sexual minority, and transgender respondents, and includes an intersectional approach to the analysis by income and age range, race/ethnicity, and presence of a non-English language spoken at home. Results: Some 231 respondents participated out of 291 approached, including 149 cisgender heterosexual respondents, 26 cisgender sexual minority respondents, and 56 transgender people of any sexuality. Scores were high regarding ease and accuracy of the SOGI questionnaire, and willingness to answer SOGI questions. Among those identifying as cisgender/heterosexual, non-White respondents had an odds ratio of 5.48 of being offended by sexual behavior questions compared with White respondents. Respondents overwhelmingly preferred to complete questionnaires through confidential electronic or pen-and-paper means. Conclusion: Patients were overwhelmingly willing to complete SOGI data questionnaires in a clinic setting, and preferred to do so using confidential means rather than by live interview by staff or providers.

Job stress amongst female faculty members in higher education: an Indian experience from a feminist perspective

Women academicians in higher education in India have a more rigorous path to follow than their male counterparts in achieving their due professional status. There are several factors that hinder their progress, including patriarchal concepts in certain role expectations from women; stereotyping of women in certain roles; and non-acceptance of women in certain others. The notions about women that have thus got embedded in the higher education sector in India have a negative impact on their career progress. There is also the need to understand the phenomenon of the glass ceiling that women are faced with in their career promotion efforts in higher education and the inequalities they often encounter under male chauvinism. Against this backdrop, the present paper strives to study the factors that contribute to the job stress and dissatisfaction of women in higher education in India, using the constructs of feminism. The paper concludes that understanding these constructs enables the members of the academia to rationally navigate the experiences of women in higher education and to create supportive policies that ensure a sustainable future for academic women with job security, satisfaction, and dignity.

Visible, invisible: Black women in higher education.

This paper explores race and gender in the context of higher education, analyzing the experiences of Black women in academia to create a better understanding of what it is to be Black and a woman in contemporary British society. The main themes of this paper are elaborated through the lens of critical Black feminism. The historical origins of inequalities are outlined foregrounding their influence on how Black women are described and regarded. The damaging impact of everyday and sophisticated racism intersecting with sexism is explored and exemplified. Concepts and theories serve to elucidate the discrimination suffered by Black women in academic roles. White women do not offer unequivocal support to their Black colleagues and may even undermine their career progression. When Black women gain leadership roles, the traditional characteristics associated with leaders often conflict with the stereotypical expectations of Black women. A closer examination of higher education reveals the extent of the racial trauma endured by Black women and the resultant decline in their wellbeing.

COVID-19 and the gender gap in research productivity: understanding the effect of having primary responsibility for the care of children

ABSTRACT In this paper we contribute to the emerging literature on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the gender gap in research productivity. We extend previous studies by considering men and women academics from science and non-science disciplines through an analysis of data from academics at 14 universities across two countries (seven in Australia and seven in Canada) and focusing on the role of primary caregiving. Our empirical approach used logistic regressions and the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition technique. The latter enabled us to ask: ‘How much of the gender gap in perceived productivity during the pandemic is due to gender differences in primary care responsibilities?’ Within the sample (N = 2,817) of academics, 33% of women and 25% of men reported that their perceived publication ability decreased a lot during the pandemic. This is an eight percentage-point gender gap in perceived publication ability. Statistical analysis revealed that two-fifths (40%) of this gap may be explained by gender differences in having primary responsibility for the care of children. Gender differences in other characteristics such as age, discipline, and increased teaching and administrative work were not, as a group, significant. There were also no differences between Australia and Canada. The findings are important, particularly for the pursuit of gender equality within academia. In the absence of specific mitigating interventions, research disruptions in 2020 may have long-lasting career scarring effects (e.g. hiring, promotion, tenure) and, as a result, see women further disadvantaged within the academy.

Women as a Growing Force in Critical Care Medicine-the Journal, Profession, and Society.

Women as a Growing Force in Critical Care Medicine-the Journal, Profession, and Society.

AOA Critical Issues: Gender Justice in Academic Medicine: What It Might Look Like in Orthopaedic Surgery.

As the number of women entering medicine has increased, so has the number of women entering orthopaedics; however, many orthopaedic programs struggle to create an equitable space for women, particularly in leadership. Struggles experienced by women include sexual harassment and gender bias, lack of visibility, lack of well-being, disproportionate family care responsibilities, and lack of flexibility in the criteria for promotions. Historically, sexual harassment and bias has been a problem faced by women physicians, and often the harassment continues even when the issue has been reported; many women find that reporting it results in negative consequences for their career and training. Additionally, throughout medical training, women are less exposed to orthopaedics and lack the mentorship that is given to their colleagues who are men. The late exposure and lack of support prevent women from entering and advancing in orthopaedic training. Typical surgery culture can also result in women orthopaedic surgeons avoiding help for mental wellness. Improving well-being culture requires systemic changes. Finally, women in academics perceive decreased equality in promotional considerations and face leadership that already lacks representation of women. This paper presents solutions to assist in developing equitable work environments for all academic clinicians.

Metaphor drawing as decolonial research and feminist care among Black women academics in selected South African higher education institutions in times of crises

abstract The global COVID-19 pandemic and devastating floods in parts of Southern Africa in 2022 intensified the competing gender role expectations for women academics in the home and workplace, with negative consequences on their effective participation and success in their institutions. This article explores the value of participatory visual methodology generally, and metaphor drawing as feminist decolonial praxis and a research as social change approach to develop a community of practice among a group of 20 South African Black women academics. Participants drew animal metaphors to reflect on their experiences of COVID-19 and the gendered impacts of the neoliberal policies and processes in universities during crises. The participants exhibited and shared their reflections in a workshop format. These were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed using decolonial feminist care as a conceptual lens. Two main themes highlighting women’s vulnerabilities and strengths emerged. Metaphor drawing as a decolonial method has the potential to generate counter-narratives that disrupt pathologising discourses about women academics’ experiences and capacities. The drawing workshop (and previous ones) contributed to generating deep relationality and sociality in the group, with care embedded deeply in the various interactions and formations that arose throughout the workshop and the project.

Cracking the Cracked-Up System: Shared Stories from Interstage Academic Feminist Collaboration

The concept of “cracking the cracked-up system” was introduced in a 2018 National Communication Association (NCA) convention panel. The panel’s purpose was to bring voices together and validate both presenters’ and members’ experiences in higher education. Several women have contributed to the conversation across the years, and these conversations have crafted sustained interstage feminist academic collaboration. In this layered account, the narratives include mental health, burnout, and institutional support for women in academia who, after being socialized into the culture of academia during graduate school, struggle with the pressure to be the traditional ideal academic worker. Our narratives demonstrate how interstage feminist academic collaboration can serve as a support system given the “cracked-up” nature of the university.

Experiences of female higher education academics in Zimbabwe: A decolonial feminist perspective

abstract The low representation of women in leadership positions continues to characterise higher education institutions (HEIs) in Africa. Most senior positions, from Programme Coordinators, to Departmental Chairpersons, Deans of Faculties, Directorships and Vice-Chancellorships, remain occupied by men. Arguments for more representation of women in academic leadership positions have largely been shaped by neoliberal feminist thoughts which emphasise gender parity or numerical representation. While critical, the limitation of this approach is that it lacks engagement with the lived experiences of women academics in HEIs, which still carry colonial legacies, and patriarchal structures and processes. In the context of scholarly discussions on the need to decolonise HEIs, coupled with a rising critique of hegemonic western feminist influence, there are pertinent questions on how women academics respond to, and resist the gendered policies, structures and processes in universities, using alternative feminisms. This study offers a feminist interrogation of the experiences of black women occupying decision-making positions in two of Zimbabwe’s HEIs, presenting the results of qualitative empirical research. It explores the extent to which decolonial feminism and associated ethics of care have influenced women empowerment, shaping and improving experiences of female academics in leadership positions within HEIs in Zimbabwe.

“It seems the women are taking over": Stereotyping around women in top-level leadership positions in Ghana's universities

abstract This article explores patterns of change in the advancement of academic women’s leadership at universities in Ghana. Referred to as the ‘glass ceiling’, women generally suffered great setbacks in their advancement in leadership positions, although recent events have led to the appointment and election of women into top-level leadership positions at universities. At a conference at the University of Ghana, organised by the Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa in September 2022, one attendee commented that “It seems the women are taking over”, due to the number of women occupying top-level positions at the university. Existing literature on women’s leadership at the universities have not adequately explored the implications of the recent appointment of women vice-chancellors on the perception of women’s leadership and advancement of the careers of other women at universities. This article sets out to investigate the challenges women face in the advancement of their careers, and implications of the recent appointment of women into leadership positions. Using a feminist decolonial lens, it inductively analyses semi-structured interviews with key academic women as well as men in leadership positions at selected universities, backed with the authors’ experience as female academics, and employment records. It adds to knowledge on the gradual advancement of women to top leadership positions at universities.

Black women academics in the United States of America and South Africa deploying principles of Feminist Decoloniality as Care (FEMDAC) to confront experiences with microaggressions

abstract While several studies detail the experiences of university students with racial and gender harassment, bullying, and microaggressions, few explore these phenomena among Black women faculty members in higher education transnationally. This article makes a novel contribution by examining Black women’s agentic responses to marginalising experiences in higher education. Black women’s extraordinary efforts to succeed in westernised universities built on the subjugation of and from the labour of their ancestors, awareness-raising about their negative experiences, and strategies to change colleagues’ behaviours defy ‘business as usual’ in higher education. Neoliberalism, Gender and Curriculum Transformation in Higher Education is a multi-site project led by Professor Relebohile Moletsane (Moletsane & Mabokela 2019), who partners with Black women to support their academic and scholarly success. This article reviews results of a survey administered to participants to document their experiences and explore the interventions designed by Moletsane’s Feminist Decoloniality as Care (FEMDAC) investigators at universities in South Africa and America. This article describes four ways in which researchers effectively operationalise feminist decoloniality as care, by: 1) truth-telling about the impact of neoliberal institutions on the daily lives of Black women academics; 2) locating the source of academic woundedness not solely in the individual behaviours of bad actors but in systemic oppression; 3) creating opportunities for women to see the similarities in their experiences transnationally and to recognise ways in which institutional structures marginalise them; and 4) mutual support, a team mentoring approach, and reproducing Black excellence.

PD30-09 TRENDS IN FEMALE AUTHORSHIP AMONG UROLOGY RESIDENTS: IS THE GENDER GAP CLOSING?

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD30-09 TRENDS IN FEMALE AUTHORSHIP AMONG UROLOGY RESIDENTS: IS THE GENDER GAP CLOSING? Melody Ong, Joshua Ballway, Emily Kokush, John Fastenau, George Mina, Madeleine Andreas, Rose Maisner, Mohit Khera, and Hossein Sadeghi-Nejad Melody OngMelody Ong More articles by this author , Joshua BallwayJoshua Ballway More articles by this author , Emily KokushEmily Kokush More articles by this author , John FastenauJohn Fastenau More articles by this author , George MinaGeorge Mina More articles by this author , Madeleine AndreasMadeleine Andreas More articles by this author , Rose MaisnerRose Maisner More articles by this author , Mohit KheraMohit Khera More articles by this author , and Hossein Sadeghi-NejadHossein Sadeghi-Nejad More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003316.09AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Gender disparities have been demonstrated among women in academia. Women face barriers to acquiring mentorship, publishing, and obtaining academic promotions. Urology, a historically male-dominated field, has seen a steady rise in female representation in recent years. With the proportion of females matching to urology increasing each year, this study aims to examine the current trends in academic productivity of urology residents based on gender. METHODS: Urology residents in the top 50 Doximity reputation ranking residency programs in 2021-2022 were identified through program websites and Twitter accounts. Publications during residency were recorded from July 1 of PGY1 year to December 2021 using PubMed and Scopus. Demographic data including training year, geographic location, program size, program length, and medical school affiliation were collected. Research productivity was measured by number and type of publications, authorship position, H-index, and journal impact factor. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to perform statistical analyses. RESULTS: 801 residents from 46 urology programs were identified. Females accounted for 31% of the residents, while 69% were males. There were no significant differences in distribution between female and male residents for year of training, program geographic region, average number of residents per year, program length, program with mandatory research year, resident graduation from a top 50 research medical school, and program affiliation with a top 20 research medical school. Overall, the median (interquartile range) number of publications was higher in male than female residents [2(0-5) vs. 1(0-3), p=0.001]. Similarly, the h-index for males was higher overall [2(1-4), vs. 1(1-3), p=0.002]. However, when residents were stratified by year of training, the total number of publications and h-indices were not significantly different between genders, with the exception of male residents having a higher h-index in their PGY2 year [2(1-4) vs. 1(0-2), p=0.014]. The percentage of first or second author publications for each resident, as well as the percentage of original articles and articles published in a high-impact urology journal, did not differ between genders. CONCLUSIONS: At first glance, male urology residents seem to produce more research than female residents. However, after stratification by year of training, research productivity is similar between genders. These promising results suggest that the gender gap for women in academia may be closing as female representation continues to improve in urology. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e834 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Melody Ong More articles by this author Joshua Ballway More articles by this author Emily Kokush More articles by this author John Fastenau More articles by this author George Mina More articles by this author Madeleine Andreas More articles by this author Rose Maisner More articles by this author Mohit Khera More articles by this author Hossein Sadeghi-Nejad More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

An Empirical Study of the Numerical Proportions of Women Academics in Selected Universities in Nigeria: A Study of Federal University Gusau and Umaru Musa Yar’adua University

The paper provided an empirical analysis of the numerical proportions of women academics in the Nigerian University system. It assessed the challenges confronting women academics as a result of the numerical proportions and it examined their responses and reactions to the challenges that arises as a result of the numerical proportions. It focused on two universities namely Umaru Musa Yar’adua University and Federal University Gusau in Katsina State and Zamfara State of Nigeria respectively. The study was an exploratory research design. It was conducted using Key Informant and In-depth Interview. The data collected were analyzed using Nvivo, version 10. The study found that women also contribute to their numerical proportions in the Nigerian University system. The study suggested the need to encourage women generally to apply for academic career. It also suggested that the Nigeria universities’ management should prioritize the incorporation and recruitment of women in the Nigeria University system.

Breaking through the glass ceiling: Experiences of academic women who have advanced to leadership roles in tertiary education in New Zealand

Abstract Recent data shows a continuing trend of gender disparity in leadership positions in tertiary education in New Zealand with men dominating higher levels of employment and advancing at faster rates than women. This study explored the experiences of six academic women who have advanced to leadership roles in New Zealand to examine the role that gender plays in their career progression. It found a range of gendered experiences including negative incidents of sexism and obstacles to advancing. There were also stories of positive experiences of supportive work environments and initiatives such as mentoring that have aided them to gain leadership positions. Participants recognised the complexity of gender issues acknowledging the range of factors and perceptions that influence their experiences in academia.

‘Being in science and at the same time being a woman is difficult’: Academic women's experiences of gender inequalities in STEM academia in Ethiopia

This article examines the problem of gender inequalities in two science and technology universities in Ethiopia drawing on the lived experiences of academic (teaching and research faculty) women. We analysed the data from in-depth interviews with STEM academic women through reference to Acker's theory of gendered organisation. Our findings demonstrate that women faculty are not only significantly underrepresented but also face gendered barriers that hinder their equitable participation and career progression. Based on these findings, we argue that the gendered institutional structures, practices, processes and cultures of the two universities underpin the perpetuation of both quantitative and qualitative gender inequalities in academe of the two universities. We further argue that it is imperative to acknowledge these institutional impediments and tackle them to redress the persistent gender inequalities in these contexts. The findings of this paper contribute to the existing research by bringing perspectives and experiences of STEM academic women from the Global South context.

Everyday sexism in higher education: narratives of women in Indian academia

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to explore the experiences of different women in higher educational institutions in India. Through this piece the authors investigate how the prevalence of sexism is affecting women in academia in general and their everyday professional negotiations in particular. Furthermore, the article reviews the position of women in higher administrative responsibilities, and academic positions and also views the mundane everyday activities vis-a-vis their experiences of sexism in different universities across India. It is argued that sexism is pervasive in academic institutions in India, but often goes unnoticed and unaddressed in spite of various mechanisms and sensitization programs adopted by the Universities to address the prevailing issues of sexism across academic spaces. Gendered experiences of women have crippling and debilitating implications for women in general and more so it affects their career prospects in universities. in the process it perpetuates patriarchal power structures and hierarchies in the workplace

Academic women's negotiation of gender identities in non-elite Chinese universities.

This study employs Butler's concept of identity to unpack how non-elite Chinese university academic women negotiate gender identities under the influence of the wider social discourses around gender in their institutional context. The study includes two empirical investigations of (i) semi-structured interviews and (ii) photovoice interviews with six women academics from six different non-elite Chinese universities. We found that most interviewees tended to value their teacher identity and meanwhile downplay their researcher identity in the professional field; while in the private field, they paid more attention to their mother identity at the cost of downplaying their career development. The study also reveals that, in the process of gender negotiation, the interviewees commonly adopted two strategies: (i) creating space and time for identity performance, and (ii) persuading with selves to accept multiple identities. This article contributes to the understanding of Chinese academic women in non-elite public universities from a Butlerian perspective.

Reconceptualising knowledge exchange and higher education institutions: broadening our understanding of motivations, channels, and stakeholders

ABSTRACT This Special Issue represents an effort to go beyond a narrow notion of knowledge exchange (KE) and explicitly address broader questions related to the measurement of and incentives towards KE in Higher education institutions (HEI). Specifically, we bring attention to a number of under-researched topics in the literature. These relate to: (i) The participation of a diverse set of academic actors in KE activities – in particular, academics in emerging economies and women academics – whose role in KE is insufficiently investigated in the extant literature; (ii) academics’ engagement with under-explored KE stakeholders, specifically policymakers and the public sector; and (iii) the tensions and tradeoffs that are implicit, but often unacknowledged, in the relationship between HEIs’ traditional teaching and research activities, and KE as a third institutional mission.

Library History as a Community

Library History as a Community