Family‐friendly policies and gender bias in academia

Abstract

Several recent reports on the status of women in US academic institutions have recommended more generous family policies to encourage and retain more women among academic staffs. Many of the policies suggested are modelled on those that have been in effect in Nordic countries for decades. The status of women among Finnish and Swedish academic staff ranks is examined, with the assumption that women should be better represented if family policies are a significant factor in advancement and retention. It is found that similar conditions for female academics exist in the US as in Nordic countries, suggesting that advancement may be more dependent upon prevailing social conditions and gender stereotypes.

Do Father-Friendly Policies Promote Father-Friendly Child-Rearing Practices? A Review of Swedish Parental Leave and Child Health Centers

“…Such policies encourage parents with higher income (often men) to take parental leave. Parents may use their parental leave until the child is 8 years old (Mayer and Tikka 2008), and one parent is entitled to work at 75 percent until the child is 8 years old (Thomas and Hildingsson 2009). Sweden, thus, has one of the most comprehensive and egalitarian parental leave programs in the world (Haas 1996;Ray et al 2010).…”

An examination of gender differences in the impact of individual and organisational factors on work hours, work-life conflict and psychological strain in academics

“…Doherty & Manfredi (2006b) have suggested that these higher levels of distress are linked to female academics holding more junior academic positions (Mayer & Tikka, 2008). Problems may arise due to the fact that while junior academics often have the highest teaching loads, research activity is important for promotion and thus junior academics who wish to gain promotion may need to work very long hours to succeed (Soliman & Soliman, 1997).…”

Striving to achieve it all: men and work-family-life balance in Sweden and the UK

“…It is well documented in the literature that academia presents rather gloomier prospects for female academics' careers (Mayer and Tikka, 2008;Ward and Wolf-Wendel, 2004;Wolfinger et al, 2008). Without someone to fall back on with regard to housework or childcare, and not wishing to detach themselves from caring responsibilities, women often find that their careers suffer.…”

“…Mayer and Tikka, 2008;Ward and Wolf-Wendel, 2004;and Wolfinger et al, 2008), but very few have considered men's careers and work-life balance in academia. Gender studies including both men and women show that the academic environment tends to reflect a view of the workplace which legitimizes escape from household work and time schedules (Deem, 2003, p. 246) as research work in particular can often entail frequent travel to attend conferences and research meetings.…”