Androcentric Research Articles

Prioritizing Usage of the Survey Respondent Over the Reference Person or Head in the Survey of Consumer Finances

The Survey of Consumer Finances is the gold standard for researchers interested in the finances of American families, yet it is a complex dataset. One methodological choice regards the use of the respondent’s demographics versus those of the reference person. When the respondent and reference person are not the same (40.4% of couples in 2022), many researchers use the demographics of both individuals (e.g., the race of the respondent and the education of the reference person). This mixed usage can introduce misclassification and androcentric bias, and it can shift results significantly (e.g., net worth estimates by education vary by 5.0%–35.2%). We argue that the optimal solution is to always use the demographics of the respondent. This is especially critical when the analyses include race and ethnicity variables (which from 1989 to 2019 were only collected from the respondent), or when they include sex and marital status because the reference person is almost always male in coupled households.

Androcentric bias in surgical equipment - What challenges do women face?

BackgroundIncreasing diversity amongst surgeons results in a wide range of sizes and strengths. There are many types of biases affecting women surgeons. This study evaluates what challenges women surgeons may have with surgical equipment. MethodsAn online survey was distributed to Women in Surgery social media groups in North America and Australasia between April 2022–July 2022. ResultsThere were 480 respondents across the range of specialties. 453 surgeons were included. Median glove size was 6.5. Difficulty with use of surgical instruments due to size was reported by 89% of surgeons and 71% reported difficulty due to the required grip strength. One hundred and twelve different tools were reported to be problematic. ConclusionsThis study highlights a potential source of androcentric bias which could be addressed to improve equity for women surgeons.

The past and future of "sex genes".

Much later than the discovery of "sex chromosomes" and of "sex hormones", genetics started delivering detailed explanations of sex-determining developmental pathways. Despite increasing knowledge of biological processes, concepts and theories about sex development are never based on facts alone. There are inevitable entanglements of biological description and changing cultural assumptions and they play a key role in how sex genes are framed and interpreted in biological research. In this review article we first focus on the early 20th century biology that worked in a hormone-based paradigm. Genetic explanations emerged later, first on the basis of sex chromosomes; starting in the 1980s, on the basis of genes. We highlight orthodox views of female development, which saw the default pathway of human sex development. We will show how recent findings in biology challenge it. The article discusses the interactions of causal claims in science with cultural assumption about gender and outlines three influential strands of critical feminist philosophy of science: the critique of genetic determinism and genetic essentialism, of dualist assumptions, and of an androcentric bias in the conception of research strategies. In the final section we suggest key agenda points of future genetic research on sex determination.

Formal and hidden curriculum at the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Mexico

The educational system plays a key role in the reproduction of gender inequality, as it transmits sexist norms and stereotypes on a daily basis. Gender-sensitive education seeks to transform educational contents and practices in order to create school environments where the principles of respect, equity and social justice prevail. The objective of this paper is to examine the agroecology curriculum taught at the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Mexico. Data was obtained through a survey, content analysis of course syllabi, and in-depth interviews. Results identified an androcentric bias in teaching contents, and gender discrimination in classroom interaction. It is concluded that gender mainstreaming in higher education is essential to counteract sexism and other forms of social inequality.

‘And she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man’: androcentrism and the creation of knowledge-driven ignorance

In this paper, I critically analyse biomedical clinical studies and literature reviews regarding the physiological phenomenon known as female ejaculation to demonstrate a process by which androcentric bias, which positions the male body as the scientific ‘standard human’, produces what I term as knowledge-driven ignorance. I show how even though knowledge about female ejaculation has expanded, its biomedical ontological status remains vague and controversial. The production of ignorance in this case does not result from active erasure or concealment, but rather from unintentional disregard, and is a by-product of knowledge-creation itself. As such, it is not only the narration of the scientific story that has the power to abject and exclude certain bodies from culture, but also what is untold and unknown.

Epistemic Exclusion and Invisibility in Sex Research: Revisiting the WEIRD Dichotomy

ABSTRACT In our article titled, “How WEIRD and androcentric is sex research? Global inequities in study populations,” we showed that the published sex research is dominated by male and WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) samples. The commentary on our article by Sakaluk and Daniel critiqued the dichotomous coding of WEIRD and non-WEIRD contexts. After acknowledging how the androcentric bias finding was disregarded in the whole discussion, we used this critique as an opportunity to expand our argument about the epistemic exclusion and invisibility of researchers and samples from the majority of the world in sex research. We think having this debate between two groups of researchers located at Western universities is at odds with our intention. Thus, we invited researchers from Global South countries to join the debate via a short survey, and expanded our recommendations from the original paper with the help of these voices.

Are women present in history classes? Conceptions of primary and secondary feminist teachers about how to teach women's history

This research investigates the conceptions of primary and secondary feminist teachers about how to teach women's history in the north of Spain. Eighty-eight teachers were asked to describe a teaching proposal for implementing women's history in their classrooms, and the content was analysed using the Reinert method. Our findings reveal a set of issues that may be of interest to address in history classes, as well as some ways in which teachers could introduce women's history in their lessons. We conclude that only teachers who defined themselves as absolutely or very feminist tend to offer teaching proposals with a critical and transformative viewpoint, following an optimal vision of women's history without any androcentric bias.

The Miraculous Narratives in The Biographies of Eminent Nuns and The Further Biographies of Eminent Nuns

This paper introduces miraculous narratives in The Biographies of Eminent Nuns (BQNZ) and The Further Biographies of Eminent Nuns (XBQNZ) and provides a comparative examination based on the relevant narratives in the above-mentioned collections and The Biographies of Eminent Monks (GSZ). First, this paper suggests that eminent nuns’ miracles in the BQNZ seem to be more limited than those of their male contemporaries in the GSZ, which might reflect their comparatively limited agency in social engagements. Furthermore, the BQNZ’s silence on the eminence of foreign nuns, in sharp contrast to the special attention afforded to foreign monks in the GSZ, might suggest androcentrism in both the Saṅgha and Chinese society. Second, the entries containing “intentionally performed miracles” in the BQNZ outnumber those in the XBQNZ in terms of the percentage of all entries and diversity. Moreover, in later records of the XBQNZ, most miracles are only related to death. This might point to the lower esteem that eminent nuns enjoyed during and after late imperial China, partly because of Buddhism’s development and social status. Alternatively, this might have resulted from special social circumstances. Finally, this paper suggests that the androcentric inclination of the male compilers of the BQNZ and XBQNZ, or the sources on which the two collections are based, might have undermined eminent nuns’ prominence in upholding and spreading Buddhism. Such an androcentric bias is reflected in their selective use and adaptation of the materials.

Appropriateness of Combining Feminist and Anticolonial Approaches to Historiography of Philosophy

Feminist research on historiography of philosophy has been actively conducted in the anglophone academic space and primarily regarding Western philosophy for several decades. These inquiries led to fundamental rethinking of the canon of history of philosophy, the development of feminist methodological reflections by historians of philosophy, and discoveries (recoveries) of names of women philosophers of the past. Meanwhile, anticolonial research (including, but not limited to decolonial and postcolonial theory), aimed at combatting the problematic assumption that philosophy is a Western phenomenon, is being conducted. Meanwhile in Ukraine, the canon of history of philosophy remains almost exclusively male, and the anticolonial perspective is not applied to history of philosophy, even though for a major part of its history Ukraine was not independent and was under control of empires. To overcome the androcentric bias in historiography of Ukrainian philosophy, I believe we need to combine the feminist perspective with the anticolonial perspective since we are talking about women who are also representatives of a colonial nation, and this double status of being women and being colonial affected their experience. However, feminist and anticolonial approaches remain largely methodologically isolated, which is what prompts this article and the need to research the levels of their developments and the prospects of combining them for historiography of philosophy. This article fulfils this goal by reviewing both feminist and anticolonial approaches to historiography of philosophy separately, and then looking at cases of their successful combinations outside historiography of philosophy, reviewing challenges and similarities, and outlining methodological reasons for combining them when it comes to historiography of philosophy.

Gender, gender-based violence and training on the Micaela Law

Introduction: Gender-based violence is a pervasive and underestimated issue worldwide, affecting all societal aspects, including universities. While Argentina has made progress in gender rights, universities still struggle with gender-based violence due to enduring patriarchal structures.Development: Gender violence persists in universities, perpetuating androcentric biases in teaching, leadership, and decision-making. The Micaela Law, passed in 2018, mandates gender training for government officials, including universities, aiming to combat this issue. The National University of Avellaneda and others have initiated gender training programs in response to this law. The Inter-University Network for Gender Equality and Against Violence (RUGE), integrated into the National Inter-University Council (CIN), promotes gender equality within universities through policies, strategies, and protocols.Conclusions: Implementing the Micaela Law and integrating the gender perspective in universities are essential steps towards fostering inclusive academic environments. This aligns with international obligations and contributes to creating a more egalitarian society.

Gender Discrimination and its Epistemological Basis: A Study on Feminist Epistemology

The epistemology which we went through up to 1970’s has hardly been gender-sensitive, and with the emergence of feminism, mainly with its Second Wave, a group of gender-sensitive practitioners of epistemology and feminist philosophy came out to declare that our so far cultivated epistemology (which is sometimes regarded as “pure” and “standard‘) has subtly been infected with viruses of patriarchal ideology and androcentrism. Taking this gender dimension in mind, there has developed a considerable amount of literature, which is referred to as feminist epistemology. It is actually doing epistemology in order to assure cognitive justice to all, and thereby establish gendersensitive humanism, cleansing it from traditional androcentric biases and unjust patriarchal surveillance. This present article is a critical study of this feminist epistemology, where I shall be dwelling upon the epistemological roots of gender discrimination. Philosophy and Progress, Vol#69-70; No#1-2; Jan-Dec 2021 P 145-171

Who’s Afraid of the Goddess? Leopard’s Tails, Menopausal Syndrome: Terms of Debate within Archaeology

This article presents an insight into archaeological disputes around female Neolithic figurines, starting with a historical overview of main academic interpretations of the figurines. Furthermore, it introduces feminist approaches in archaeology related to figurines, showing how androcentric bias has undermined theories and methodologies. Çatalhöyük case-study serves as an example of contrasting narratives. The article argues that academic devaluation of Marija Gimbutas’ work within contemporary archaeology can be considered a litmus test which show the pervasiveness of gender bias in this disciplinary field. Among peculiar arguments against Gimbutas’ theories, there are: menopause syndrome, gynocentric agenda, and reverse sexism, all of which show how the archaeologists have focused on personal attacks rather than on serious academic discussion. In the end, all those rhetoric strategies have shifted scholars’ attention from the main issue which is rarely addressed: why is it that the Neolithic period is dominated by female figurines?

Gender Jihad: The Hermeneutical Resistance of Muslim Feminists against Conservative Muslim Critics

Muslims feminists contend that they possess the intellectual capacity to challenge conservative juristic notions and patriarchal narratives regarding their roles and talents. They believe that gender-biased negative stereotypes have gone unquestioned owing to the dominance of male scholars in the hermeneutical domain. Scholars like Hibba Raouf, Amina Wadud and Farhat Hashmi confidently argue that the interpreter of the text, not the text itself, is to blame for androcentric bias towards women. Furthermore, they claim that conservative Ulama (intellectuals) misuse their position of authority and strive to preserve their dominance. Conservative scholars maintain that Islam prioritizes a woman's seclusion to the extent that she is not permitted to publicly preach the message of Islam. Disagreeing with their conservative critics, these female scholars argue that Islam does not impose such restrictions on women and they are free to pick the type of career and discipline which they think is compatible with their nature and disposition.This article analyses the perspectives of Hibba Rouf, Anima Wadud, and Farhat Hashmi on crucial topics including polygamy, female education, career choices, and political engagement.

Desigualdad de género y medicalización de la salud mental: factores socioculturales determinantes desde el análisis de percepciones expertas

To identify the sociocultural roots that explain the higher frequency of diagnoses of depression and/or anxiety and the prescription of psychotropic drugs in women, in order to propose a preliminary explanatory framework for the investigation of gender inequalities in mental health and its medicalization. Qualitative study with a descriptive–interpretive design, through in-depth interviews conducted in January and February 2021. Interviews were held in various cities of the Basque Country, Barcelona and Madrid. 12 experts in gender and mental health from the clinical (Primary Care and Mental Health), academic and associative fields. Intentional sampling, following the snowball technique, until covering the diversity of previously identified profiles and the saturation of the discourse. An analysis of thematic content was carried out starting from a critical-realistic epistemological perspective. The main dimensions to explain gender inequalities in diagnoses of depression or anxiety and prescription of psychoactive drugs were: 1) the material and symbolic subordination of women, 2) the role of «psi» sciences in the pathologization of the feminine identity, 3) the epistemological and androcentric biases of biomedicine, and 4) the active agency of women in medicalization processes. The reduction of gender inequalities in the diagnoses and prescription of psychotropic drugs will require joint intervention at the clinical, community and structural levels that, from a feminist perspective, manage to reverse the socioeconomic, symbolic and epistemic vulnerability of women.

Pussy Power

Abstract This paper examines how feminist protest, specifically in the case of Pussy Riot, contests the power structures that sustain the authority of Vladimir Putin in Russia. I investigate how Pussy Riot engages in revolutionary activity, oftentimes unaccepted in Russia, to expose and subvert the gender dynamics that are foundational to formal and informal institutions in the country. I present a typology, designed to facilitate an understanding of the strategies Pussy Riot utilise to disrupt public life in Russia. This paper addresses how power, and the structures that generate and then sustain it, is contested and re-negotiated, even in oppressive and homogenizing societies. More specifically, I address the androcentric bias of power that is emblematic of Putin’s Russia. Doing so requires beginning from a position that necessarily accepts what Oleg Riabov and Tatiana Riabova termed the ‘remasculinization’ of Russia, a renewed focus on the production of ‘social borders and hierarchies,’ based on conceptualisations of masculinity and femininity. Constructions of gender, in which femininity is subordinate to masculinity, have become essential to the legitimisation of Putin’s position at the apex of the power vertical and the promulgation of images of Russia as sovereign and powerful. The aim of this paper is not to judge the success of the Pussy Riot collective, but rather, to offer insight into the potential for feminist protest, and protest more generally, in the future in Putin’s Russia.

"Broad" Impact: Perceptions of Sex/Gender-Related Psychology Journals.

Because men are overrepresented within positions of power, men are perceived as the default in academia (androcentrism). Androcentric bias emerges whereby research by men and/or dominated by men is perceived as higher quality and gains more attention. We examined if these androcentric biases materialize within fields that study bias (psychology). How do individuals in close contact with psychology view psychology research outlets (i.e., journals) with titles including the words women, gender, sex, or feminism (sex/gender-related) or contain the words men or masculinity (men-related; Study 1) versus psychology journals that publish other-specialized research, and do these perceptions differ in the general public? While the men-related journal was less meritorious than its other-specialty journal, evidence emerged supporting androcentric bias such that the men-related journal was more favorable than the other sex/gender-related journals (Study 1). Further, undergraduate men taking psychology classes rated sex/gender-related versus other-specialty journals as less favorable, were less likely to recommend subscription (Studies 1–2), and rated the journals as lower quality (Study 2 only). Low endorsement of feminist ideology was associated with less support for sex/gender-related journals versus matched other-specialty journals (Studies 1–2). Decreased subscription recommendations for sex/gender-related journals (and the men-related journal) were mediated by decreased favorability and quality beliefs, especially for men (for the sex/gender-related journals) and those low in feminist ideology (Studies 1–2). However, we found possible androcentric-interest within the public sphere. The public reach of articles (as determined by Altmetrics) published in sex/gender-related was greater than other-specialty journals (Study 3). The consequences of these differential perceptions for students versus the public and the impact on women’s advancement in social science and psychological science are discussed.

Do women ask the same questions as men in social sciences?

Previous studies about the philosophy of science from a feminist perspective have observed that the historical exclusion of women from academic spaces caused sexist and androcentric biases in science. Therefore, feminist epistemologies have pointed out the need to build a new epistemology, which integrates women's ways of knowing. This work presents an exploratory analysis based on semantic networks by gender to supply empirical evidence in this matter and figure out if women have contributed to social sciences posing different questions than men. For this aim, we retrieved from the Scopus database all the publications of Mexico in social sciences. The differences and similarities in meaning by gender were examined through the structural measures of each semantic network. This work studied the researchers who were active from 2007 to 2018 in the National System of Researchers of Mexico. The results revealed that women indeed asked different questions than men.

The Modern Biased Information Test: Proposing alternatives for implicit measures

The present article describes the development of a Modern Biased Information Test (MBIT) inspired by the work published by Donald Campbell in 1950 on indirect measures of prejudice. A biased information test aims to tap individuals' intergroup attitudes from the selective information they use to describe group members. Two biased information tests were developed to measure ethnocentric and androcentric biases, respectively, and applied in four convenience samples of students from two different cultural settings (Costa Rica and the USA). The internal consistency for the accuracy indicators derived from both tests was acceptable and comparable across cultures. In contrast, the internal consistency for ethnocentric biases was adequate across samples and cultures, but the internal consistency for androcentric biases was unacceptable across both cultures. Results are discussed in the line of the usefulness of alternative measures for tapping implicit attitudes.

National Security and Sustainable Development: Exploring the Gender Phenomenon for Better Future

An androcentric bias prevails in the research related to the national security and development. Numerous aspects of national security are under discussions; however, many of the policy makers and the practitioners maintain reservation to include the dimension of gender in the Nepali context. Moreover, there is a meager discussion in the inclusion of gender role in the national security. Therefore, this study explores the phenomenon of the gender in the national security of Nepal by bringing the stories of women who are participating themselves in the security sector. Those women who are involved in the security sector have been facing various social, familial, structural challenges. It has elaborated on how the gender spectacle can be incorporated in the security sector to maintain sustainable development. This article primarily aims at exploring the gender dimension in national security framework for development. This paper is based on a series of semi-structured interviews with the women currently engaged in Nepal’s security agencies as well as the literature of security gender and development concepts. Here, the narrative approach is incorporated to bring such challenges. In this discussion, Bourdeau’s theory of habitus is brought into the discussion with the transformative approach

Women in the Malestream Study of Crime: Exploring Three Swedish Journals throughout the Last Century

The present article seeks to add further empirical nuance and specification to ongoing debates on the androcentric biases of historical and present research on crime. Using a mixed-methods design, it examines gender differences in theorizing and how women are represented in Swedish crime-related research between 1920 and 2015. On the one hand, the quantitative analysis reveals that explanations and proposed solutions to crime are more gender-neutral than previous research tends to suggest. On the other hand, the qualitative analysis uncovers how women are rendered visible almost exclusively in discussions on crime that concern issues linked to the body, sex and sexuality, or victimhood and vulnerability. Generally, in the Swedish context, characterized by the establishment of a strong welfare state, women and women’s criminality have primarily been given relevance in the context of larger socio-economic problems and/or reforms.