Gendered pedagogic identities and academic professionalism in Greek medical schools

Gendered and classed performances of ‘good’ mother and academic in Greece

“…This article aims to understand Greek female doctors’ maternal and academic subjectivities and their entanglements with wider socio-cultural discourses and practices of gender, class, heteronormative motherhood and patriarchy. In my earlier work I have discussed how challenges for academic mothers (and non-mothers) are exacerbated by the neoliberal logic and performativity culture of universities and their emphasis on raising research productivity and promoting international reputation and collaboration (Tsouroufli, 2018b). The market ethos of universities in Europe and their male norms of success and academic conduct have had profound implications for women’s careers and the reproduction of inequalities (Morley and Crossouard, 2015).…”

“…Moreover, the gendered divisions of labour, class ideologies and structures of universities have gradually been overshadowed by seductive discourses of neoliberal possibilities, choices and self-improvement (Morley, 2015). There is, however, evidence of Greek female academics’ resistance to neoliberal practices through celebratory reification of pedagogical identities, while simultaneously engaging with research intensification, productivity and all hours work (Tsouroufli, 2018b). In this article I discuss how Greek women attempt to manage successfully academic work and family life and I bring to the fore the gender and class resources, privileges and inequalities they face in their motherhood and professional projects.…”

“…‘Good’ Greek academic/mothers are expected to ensure that their academic careers do not encroach on their gender responsibilities and jeopardize the morality and respectability of the Greek family so intricately linked to the development of children’s self-identity, good education, a clean household and content Greek husband (Lawler, 2000; Skeggs, 1997). The ‘having it all’ or ‘best of both worlds’ was contingent on the neoliberal discourse of ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) (Tsouroufli, 2018b) and in essence meant having a part-time husband who was entitled to choose the prestigious clinical speciality of his choice (usually surgery) and enjoy a linear, uninterrupted career, and in most cases away from his wife and family.…”