Ann Mari Sellerberg
Professor emerita
Gender imbalance in a university hierarchy: can stimulus from outside prompt change?
Author
Summary, in English
Abstract in Undetermined
The article draws on the reports by 12 guest professors - all women - who participated in an EU-financed pedagogical project within a Swedish university's postgraduate studies course, the purpose of which was to address equal opportunities in academia. It has been established that women with doctoral degrees are not being absorbed into the research community. The purpose of the project was to persuade more women postgraduate students to consider university research as a possible future career on finishing their postgraduate studies. The article focuses on the question of whether guest professors, in their capacity as outsiders, observe significant factors in postgraduate students' circumstances that elude departmental staff. Can these observations provide knowledge that might persuade more women to continue in research? Can guest professors provide postgraduate students with experiences and lessons that are not readily available from departmental staff? The analysis of the professors' reports indicates that such is the case.
The article draws on the reports by 12 guest professors - all women - who participated in an EU-financed pedagogical project within a Swedish university's postgraduate studies course, the purpose of which was to address equal opportunities in academia. It has been established that women with doctoral degrees are not being absorbed into the research community. The purpose of the project was to persuade more women postgraduate students to consider university research as a possible future career on finishing their postgraduate studies. The article focuses on the question of whether guest professors, in their capacity as outsiders, observe significant factors in postgraduate students' circumstances that elude departmental staff. Can these observations provide knowledge that might persuade more women to continue in research? Can guest professors provide postgraduate students with experiences and lessons that are not readily available from departmental staff? The analysis of the professors' reports indicates that such is the case.
Department/s
- Sociology
Publishing year
2011
Language
English
Pages
22-41
Publication/Series
Learning and Teaching
Volume
4
Issue
1
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Berghahn Journals
Topic
- Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
Keywords
- women in academia
- guest professors
- gender imbalance
- higher education
- postgraduates
- Sweden
- sociologi
- sociology
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1755-2273