The Goal of Gender Transformation in American Universities: Toward Social Justice for Women in the Academy

Risman, Bárbara J.; Adkins, Timothy

doi:10.1057/9781137289384_5

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 18 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…They use feminist scholarship to develop recruitment, hiring, and evaluation processes that are inclusive and transparent, and make visible the fundamentally inequitable way the institution operates (Bielby and Baron 1987; Bird 2011; Britton 2000; Cook and Watters 1998; Rosenberg and Howard 2008; Smith 1974; Sprague 1997, 2016). They imagine more equitable alternatives to the status quo and challenge the assumption that power is exercised in an unbiased way (Battilana, Leca, and Boxenbaum 2009; Burghardt and Colbeck 2005; DiMaggio 1988; Risman and Adkins 2014).…”

Section: Outsiders Within: Feminists Making Change From Inside the Academymentioning

confidence: 99%

Outsiders Within Transforming the Academy: The Unique Positionality of Feminist Sociologists

Laube

2021

Gender & Society

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Several initiatives recognize the importance of transforming institutions, not just changing individuals, to diversify STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields. Universities and colleges are distinctive gendered work organizations because workers (faculty) are highly educated and have authority in hiring, evaluation, and policy (shared governance). This article explores whether feminist sociologists are particularly well suited to guide institutional change to diversify the academy. Drawing on data from in-depth interviews with 24 feminist academic sociologists at the rank of associate or full professor, I analyze how their feminist and sociological identities intersect with institutional locations to create opportunities to transform the academy. Outsiders within, feminist sociologists revise and use the master’s tools to produce knowledge that improves recognition of, and ability to reduce, structural inequalities. Proficiency with these tools confers insider legitimacy and access to a “seat at the table” where disciplinary expertise and political commitments contribute to institutional change. Inevitably, these professors confront resistance, and in response develop strategies to advance their goals. Insights from feminist sociologists suggest that to transform universities to reflect the diversity of institutions and lived reality of contemporary faculty, it may be more useful to identify a set of commitments and principles that inform policies and practices, rather than specifying actions to support culture change.

show abstract

Section: Outsiders Within: Feminists Making Change From Inside the Academymentioning

confidence: 99%

Outsiders Within Transforming the Academy: The Unique Positionality of Feminist Sociologists

Laube

2021

Gender & Society

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The office of faculty affairs revived the dual-career program for the whole university, not just STEM faculty. The dual-career program was arguably the most effective change the program made (Risman and Adkins 2014). It was unique in that the program sent all short-list candidates letters directing them to the office if they wanted to explore a spouse/partner opportunity hire (for a detailed description, see Holmes 2012).…”

Section: Reflections On Institutional Transformation Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Real-Life Conundrums in the Struggle for Institutional Transformation

McQuillan

Hernandez

2021

Gender & Society

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Intersecting systems of inequality (i.e., gender and race/ethnicity) are remarkably resistant to change. Many universities, however, seek National Science Foundation Institutional Transformation awards to change processes, procedures, and cultures to make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) departments more inclusive. In this article we describe a case study with observations for eight years of before (2000–2007), five during (2008–2013), and seven after (2014–2020) intensive efforts to increase women through reducing barriers and increasing access to women. Finally, we reflect on flawed assumptions built into the proposal, the slow and uneven change in the proportion of women over time, the strengths and weaknesses of numeric assessments, and the value of a longer view for seeing how seeds planted with promising practices initiated during the award may end with the funding but can reemerge and bear fruit when faculty who engage in equity work are in positions of authority later in their careers.

show abstract

Remodellers of female career preference in academia: Does religiosity serve as a mediator?

Sikki

2024

Studies in the Education of Adults

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Goal of Gender Transformation in American Universities: Toward Social Justice for Women in the Academy

Cited by 7 publications

References 18 publications

Outsiders Within Transforming the Academy: The Unique Positionality of Feminist Sociologists

Outsiders Within Transforming the Academy: The Unique Positionality of Feminist Sociologists

Real-Life Conundrums in the Struggle for Institutional Transformation

Remodellers of female career preference in academia: Does religiosity serve as a mediator?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About