Academic Women Research Articles

Assessing the Information Needs and Seeking Behavior of Women Faculty Members in PU Colleges of Kalaburagi District, Karnataka: A Gendered Perspective

This study explores the information needs and seeking behaviors of women faculty members working in pre-university (PU) colleges in the Kalaburagi district of Karnataka, India. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research investigates the primary sources of information, satisfaction levels with library services, and the impact of socio-demographic factors on information-seeking behaviors. The study reveals significant disparities in access to and use of digital resources, influenced by factors such as age, marital status, and educational background. The findings highlight the critical need for enhanced library services, tailored training programs, and policy interventions to support women faculty in their academic and research activities. These insights contribute to the broader discourse on gender and technology in educational settings, emphasizing the importance of equitable information access in promoting gender equality in STEM fields.

Parenthood premium but fatherhood super-premium in academic productivity? A matter of partner's employment

ABSTRACT While the discourse about work-family balance in academia (and elsewhere) is generally framed as a woman's issue, this study focuses on the association between childbirth and the scholarly productivity of both academic women and men. In particular, the authors examine whether the association between parenthood and scholarly productivity is contingent on gender and partner's employment status. Using German longitudinal data and addressing self-selection, results indicate the existence of a ‘parenthood premium’: scholarly productivity is higher for both fathers and mothers compared to their childless counterparts. Yet, academic fathers publish more than childless men and more than academic mothers, giving rise to a ‘fatherhood super-premium’. Additionally, the study reveals that the fatherhood super-premium is influenced by the employment status of the female partner, while this is not the case for academic mothers. Overall, the research highlights the importance of considering the division of labour within couples in understanding the gender gap in scholarly productivity and, ultimately, gender disparities in academia.

Beyond the academic imposter syndrome: A feminist relational discourse analysis of accounts of (un)belonging from UK working-class women academics

ABSTRACT Previous research utilised discourse analysis to explore institutional ideal worker discourse to find that it shapes (un)belonging and shores up an unequal and stratified academy via intersecting classed and gendered discourse. This paper develops this work by utilising Feminist Relational Discourse Analysis (FRDA) on interview data from 12, one-to-one semi-structured interviews with working-class women academics employed in UK Higher Education institutions. This analysis, first, identified a dominant discourse; ‘being a fish out of water’ that drew on a contemporary iteration of the ‘psy complex’ construction of the ‘imposter syndrome’ to obscure systems of power underpinned by gendered and classed portrayals of who embodies the ideal academic. Second, the analysis produced I Poems which uncovered hidden accounts of how this dominant discourse silences via a coupling with sufficient/deficient academic discourse to individualise – and make private – shameful and painful emotional experiences of unbelonging. Conversely, simultaneously voiced accounts attempted to resist and rally against individualised deficient constructions. This study evidences the utility of FRDA to uncover the unheard and silenced voiced accounts that are intimately connected to discursive systems of gendered and classed power, while illuminating counter-narratives that challenge individualised discourse of inequalities to claim rightful citizenship in the UK Academy.

Cervical cancer screening adoption behaviours among Nigerian women in academics: using a health belief model

BackgroundCervical Cancer is the commonest and one of the leading causes of death from cancer among women in developing countries. Screening has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality from the illness, yet its uptake is low. This study investigated the pattern of utilization and preferences relating to the adoption of cervical screening among female postgraduate students at the University of Ibadan.MethodologyThe study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey involving the use of a multi-stage sampling technique to recruit 372 women undergoing postgraduate studies (20–52 years with a mean age of 27.3 ± 5.4) at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. A pretested semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection and the coded data were analyzed using SPSS (version 20).ResultsOnly 4.0% of the respondents had been screened for Cervical Cancer at the time of study while 86.3% expressed their desire to be screened if given the opportunity. Most participants showed a favourable perception with 70.4% disagreeing that cervical cancer is a mild disease and 50.5% agreeing that the benefits of cervical cancer screening outweigh the stress of the screening procedure. Female doctors (73.2%) topped the list of health professionals’ respondents who preferred to conduct the screening. A majority (70.7%) of the respondents preferred these screenings to be done during antenatal clinic visits. There is a significant association (p.value = 0.0007) between cervical cancer screening behaviors and sexual activity among women.ConclusionPoor utilization of Cervical cancer screening services is seen among Nigerian women undergoing postgraduate studies but a high willingness to utilize the services in the future with consideration to professionals delivering the service and specific locations where it can be obtained. The poor rate of cervical cancer screening from the study depicts the large extent to which cases of this cancer go without being detected till the advanced stages. Rolling out more screening strategies that will explore different service delivery points/preferences as highlighted in the study is needed for larger coverage.

Gender distributions in New Zealand universities: guilt in Brotopia

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explain gender imbalance by theorising how guilt arises as an externally imposed negative emotion that subsequently impairs women's performance in the accounting academia.Design/methodology/approachThe method involves an analysis of gender distributions at junior and senior levels in New Zealand universities in 2019 and 2024 and relevant case studies of junior academics using unstructured interviews.FindingsThis paper unpacks the nuances of gender imbalance in a “gender-neutral” subject and provides empirical evidence that many women academics may internalise a sense of externally imposed guilt for various reasons. Such feelings of guilt, where they are imposed by workplace expectations and social constructions, may make women more concessionary with regard to a greater teaching workload substituting for research expectations. The more prolonged-term effect on career prospects of such substitutions as practiced in New Zealand may account for the imbalance that exists and seemingly will continue to exist.Originality/valueThis paper sets out first to discover the gender balance in accounting in universities in New Zealand. It contributes to the literature on gender and accounting education in understanding how negative emotions are externally imposed and become career-negating obstacles for women in the accounting academic.

Championing Inclusivity: Underrepresentation of Women in African Academic Leadership and Scholarly Journal Management

Objectives – This study seeks to investigate the exclusion of women from the management of scholarly journals across East Swahili (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Anglo-West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia) by delving into the implications of marginalization. Furthermore, the study aims to illuminate the often-overlooked experiences of black women, whose narratives are frequently overshadowed by those of black men or subsumed within the context of white women. Methods – By employing empirical evidence from African Journals Online (AJO) and institutional journal data from countries in focus, this study examines the pervasive domination of men within scholarly journal management in East Swahili and Anglo-West Africa. Results – Findings reveal a widespread dominance of men in the management of scholarly journals in the targeted countries despite the considerable presence of women in academia. Conclusion – The underrepresentation of women in academic leadership positions carries significant consequences, including a lack of diversity in decision-making processes. Such homogeneity can perpetuate existing disparities and impede progress towards gender equality within academia. Furthermore, discussions concerning gender inequality in academia often neglect the experiences of black women.

Women academics' ambivalent experiences of singlehood and international mobility

This article explores the lived experiences of nine women scholars who are single, childfree and internationally mobile. Mobilising Laurent Berlant's work on ambivalence and ‘cruel optimism,’ we show how experiences of singlehood and academic international mobility are never only good or bad, but always both at the same time. Ambivalence emerges in the women's experiences because singlehood can facilitate academic careers by enabling high productivity and mobility, whereas mobility can inhibit finding committed relationships through an absence of stability and prevalent gendered expectations of women in heterosexual relationships. Most of the interviewed women hope for a life which has both careers, mobility and romantic relationships, however, the simultaneity of benefits and struggles associated with singlehood and a mobile academic life places them in an ambivalent situation that precludes the option of letting go of either of their affective attachments, namely, to gendered couple norms and the academic institution.

Examining career trajectories of Norwegian PhD recipients: slower progression for women academics but not a leaky pipeline

ABSTRACT We use longitudinal data for the entire population of Norwegian PhD recipients over five decades to examine why only one-third of full professors in Norway are women, despite gender balance among current PhDs. We find that 90% of the lower female representation is due to lower female proportions in earlier PhD cohorts, increasing sizes of cohorts, and decreasing overall rates of promotion, which together we call ‘compositional/historical factors’. We find that the remaining imbalance is not caused by women dropping out, but rather by 14–18% slower average promotion rates calculated using hazard analysis. However, on average, women eventually catch up with men after about 20 years, although this differs by field. A similar hazard analysis for the US shows that women doctorates are less likely than men to enter tenure-track academia although more likely to enter non-tenure-track academia. This leads to larger US gender differences in advancement to full professorships and no eventual convergence. We suggest possible reasons for the differences between Norway and the US.

Black women academics and intersectional erasure in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT Research on Black women academics’ experiences in the Netherlands is limited despite the growing population as well as public discussions about structural racism in academic institutions. Black women have navigated how to thrive from their own standpoints in the face of white supremacy, colonialism, and misogynoir, yet continue to face intersectional oppression and erasure in and outside of Dutch academia. Our qualitative analysis applies intersectionality methodology to better understand Black women academics’ lived experiences in the Netherlands. The data yielded from this study highlights four types of intersectional erasure: 1) Hyper Invisibility and Disposability of Black Femininity; 2) Hyper Visibility, Black Women Tropes and Respectability Politics; 3) Hypo Invisibility and Self Isolation as Preservation; and 4) Hypo Visibility, Black Mothering and Epistemic Violence. The findings from this study allow us to suggest several intersectional interventions to support Black women academic success in Dutch academia.

Understanding academic women’s silence in Poland: exploring with social cognitive theory

Understanding academic women’s silence in Poland: exploring with social cognitive theory

Financial Literacy and Investment Behaviour among Working Women in Higher Education in India

Financial literacy is a critical skill for individuals, empowering them to make informed financial decisions and improving their investment behaviour. This paper explores the level of financial literacy and its impact on the investment behaviour of working women in higher education in India. The study employs a qualitative approach, gathering data through surveys and interviews with women engaged in various academic and professional fields. The findings indicate that while there is a growing awareness of financial instruments among this demographic, significant gaps in knowledge persist. Factors influencing investment behaviour include educational background, perceived risk, and access to financial resources. The results highlight the importance of financial education programs tailored specifically for working women in academia to foster better investment practices and enhance their financial security.

Achieving gender equity in academic psychiatry - barriers to involvement and solutions for success.

Women face considerable barriers in pursuing careers in academic psychiatry. A group of Australian and New Zealand academic women psychiatrists convened in September 2022 to identify and propose solutions to increase opportunities for women in academic psychiatry. Limiting factors were identified in pathways to academia including financial support, engagement and coordination between academia and clinical services, and flexible working conditions. Gender biases and the risk of burnout were additional and fundamental barriers. Potential solutions include offering advanced training certificates to enable trainees to commence a PhD and Fellowship contemporaneously; improved financial support; expanding opportunities for research involvement; establishing mentoring opportunities and communities of practice; and strategies to enhance safety at work and redress gender bias and imbalance in academia. Support for women in research careers will decrease gender disparity in academic psychiatry and may decrease problematic gender bias in research. Fellows and trainees, the RANZCP, universities, research institutes, governments, industry and health services should collaborate to develop and implement policies supporting changes in working conditions and training. Facilitating the entry and retention of women to careers in academic psychiatry requires mentoring and development of a community of practice to provide and enable support, role modelling, and inspiration.

Empowering women in academia: navigating institutional dynamics, gender roles, and personal pursuits among female researchers in Norwegian higher education

ABSTRACT Numerous studies have documented the widespread marginalization of female scholars throughout their professional journeys in various societies. It has been noted that women in academia are not given the same opportunities as men when it comes to advancement into professorship, leadership roles, productivity in research, and salary. The personal pursuits and willingness of female researchers, including how they self-activated to negotiate with structural empowerment factors, have been largely ignored in literature. This article uses empowerment as an analytical lens to look at how career advancement and recognition of female researchers have been influenced by a mix of structural and individual factors. Empowerment is a motivating process that places power at the centre of its conception and results in increased competence, self-efficacy, self-confidence, self-esteem, and wellbeing. Therefore, empowerment is interpreted as cooperative and agreed-upon efforts by empowered agents to improve the career prospects of female researchers. This study explores the ways in which female researchers are empowered or disempowered as they advance in their careers, negotiating institutional policies and practices, gender roles, important relationships, and personal pursuits. Drawing upon interview data, this study intends to spark additional discussions and theoretical considerations on the intersections of gender, career advancement, and empowerment in higher education. It also asks for more culturally aware policy adjustments to empower female researchers inside the institution.

“Happily tired”: A descriptive qualitative study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women academics in Qatar

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted existing gender inequalities and inequities in academia, such as unequal workload distribution and insufficient recognition of women's scientific and institutional contributions. This study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women academics in Qatar. We employed a descriptive qualitative design and conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 participants from government and semi-government higher education institutions. We used the intersectionality framework to examine how various social identities interacted to influence the impact of the pandemic. Thematic analysis revealed a range of positive and negative impacts on the professional and personal lives of women, personal and institutional moderating factors, and coping strategies. We conclude that higher education institutions need to develop systems and structures to reduce existing gender inequities and mitigate the inequitable impact of emergencies and disasters.

Is my hair neat?! A duoethnography of Black women’s cross-cultural socialization in academia

This article explores the lived experience of two Black women within the enclave of their educational environments and childhood upbringing. The authors examine their lived experiences through the lens of Black Feminist Thought (BFT) and Transnational feminism. Using a duoethnographic approach, these women unpacked and re-wrote their stories through three themes: Hair as a site of performance for Black Womanhood, The othering of Blackness in the academy, and Owning our Black womanhood. The findings from this study add to the literature on de-centering whiteness and colonization among Black women in academia through a cross-cultural understanding of Blackness.

Developing a Conceptual Framework: Women STEM Faculty's Participation in Entrepreneurship Education Programs

AbstractMotivated by the high socio-economic impact of innovations in science and technology, entrepreneurship in STEM disciplines is gaining increasing attention. As a result, entrepreneurship education programs (EEPs) have been introduced and designed to train STEM faculty and expose them to entrepreneurial practice. This study examines factors influencing women STEM faculty's perspectives on their participation in EEPs within the broader socio-cultural context of academia. The study addresses the under-researched and undertheorized area of women academics in STEM entrepreneurship by drawing on adult participation literature and key theoretical works in entrepreneurship education to formulate the conceptual grounding. Using qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews with 32 women STEM faculty, the findings identify internal and external influences and unpacks their complex interactions across the programmatic and systemic dimensions. Internal factors include perceptions of entrepreneurship, STEM academic identity, entrepreneurial identity, and self-efficacy, while external factors included professional mentors, personal role models, socioemotional support, and financial resources. The study conceptually synthesizes these factors and elucidates a nuanced understanding of women STEM faculty’s perspectives on their participation in EEPs, offering insights for future research and program development to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusivity in STEM entrepreneurship education.

COGNITIVE CHALLENGES AND PROFESSIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY BRAIN IN ACADEMIA: A REVIEW OF PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BASES AND POTENTIAL INTERVENTIONS

Pregnancy brain, characterized by cognitive changes during pregnancy, has significant implications for women in academia, affecting professional performance and career progression. In this review, we focus on the physiological and psychological bases of pregnancy brain, its impacts on cognitive functions, and potential interventions for pregnant women. The objective of this review is to explore the phenomenon of pregnancy-induced cognitive decline, focusing on its physiological, psychological, and cognitive bases, and its potential impact on cognitive function. The impact of pregnancy on cognitive performance, career progression, and professional performance can be mitigated through increased awareness, research, and institutional support. By recognizing and addressing the cognitive challenges faced by pregnant women, academic institutions can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment, ultimately benefiting the professional and personal well-being of women in academic institutions. KEYWORDS: Pregnancy brain; Cognitive function; Women in academia; Professional performance; Institutional support

Theorizing Outside the Lines: A Self-Study of Collaborative Learning in a Critical Posthuman Reading Group

ABSTRACT Neoliberal conditions in academia often preclude space for ongoing processes of collective reflection and growth, particularly for women faculty. In this qualitative self-study, three women faculty members examine working outside the lines of neoliberal institutions and theoretical traditions to nurture onto-epistemological development through a reading group that has now spanned two years. Drawing on critical feminist posthuman lenses, we inquired into the ways in which we worked and talked through challenging philosophical and theoretical texts in community and connected to our everyday experience as researchers/instructors in ongoing conversations. Specifically, we asked: What opportunities were presented through this different approach to reading and thinking together? What connections to practice and scholarship were created? How did these inform our ways of knowing and being? Our analysis of reflections and meeting notes demonstrates the ways our work ‘outside the lines’ allowed us to do academia differently, in big and small ways – helping us disrupt the isolation and competition of the academy by developing an immanent and relational orientation, working to decenter our (white) selves, and folding our complexifying understandings into research and teaching praxis. Ultimately, we recognize our ‘working outside the lines’ as a form of productive resistance to the devastating effects of neoliberal capitalism, a form of affirmative ethics of care connecting into a larger movement of creating a more relational, supportive academia.

Experiences of Academic Women in Jordan on Their Return to Work After Childbirth

ObjectiveTo describe the experiences of women living in Jordan returning to work at their academic positions after giving birth to their first newborns. DesignQualitative descriptive phenomenological design. SettingVarious schools within a governmental university in Jordan. This study describes the challenges women in academia experience in the context of Jordan’s Arabic patriarchal communities. ParticipantsA purposive sample of 15 women returning to their academic positions. MethodsUnstructured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews of women returning to their academic positions within 3 months after giving birth to their first newborns. The recorded interviews were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis process. ResultsThree major themes emerged: Living in Chaos, The Urgent Need for Transitional Time, and Calling for Help andSupport. Participants described their return to work as a period marked by a sense of chaos and instability, in which they felt a loss of control over their lives. They expressed a pressing need for a transitional period before resuming full-time academic roles, highlighting the importance of a gradual return. Finally, participants shared their struggles with the extra demands added to their daily routine. As working mothers, participants experienced extreme distress while attempting to fulfill their daily responsibilities. They emphasized the lack of adequate support in this challenging period. ConclusionWomen returning to their academic work after giving birth to their first newborns need to be prepared physically and emotionally for the changes and responsibilities of their new life. A longer period of maternity leave or a transitional period may help women working in academia to manage the demands of multiple maternal roles alongside their professional commitments. These findings highlight the absence of formal policies needed to support women in academia in their return to work after maternity leave.

Personality’s Impact on Women Academics’ Leadership Effectiveness: The Mediating Role of Motivation

Personality’s Impact on Women Academics’ Leadership Effectiveness: The Mediating Role of Motivation