“Peripheral and subversive”: Women making connections and challenging the boundaries of the science community

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Researchers continue to report the underrepresentation of females in the science professions (AAUW, 1992; NSF, 1999;Vetter, 1992). Investigators have illuminated many factors that contribute to the insider status in the science community of some groups and the peripheral/outsider status of women and girls (Brickhouse, 1994;Delamont, 1989;Harding, 1991;Schiebinger, 1989). Some research has shown that supportive science networks have had a positive influence on women's participation and retention in science practices (AAUW, 1992;Keith & Keith, 1989;Kreinberg & Lewis, 1996;Varanka-Martin, 1996). In order to provide a better understanding of the role social capital plays in women's legitimate participation in science, I draw upon the findings of a qualitative study that examines the valued capital, ways, and practices of a support group for women working in the sciences at an academic research institution. Findings from this study indicate how women 1) were given little access to powerful networks in science that would provide them with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to be legitimate in the traditional sense, and 2) encountered many obstacles in their attempts to develop networks and make such connections between themselves and other women. Findings also indicate that, despite these impediments, the support group provided a meaningful and resourceful network through which they developed a critical perspective of legitimacy as they sought to make explicit the "culture of science." Participants not only employed the traditional methods of scientific inquiry, but also acknowledged and valued the voices and experiences of those from nondominant groups. They constructed a new discourse that was inclusive of diverse voices, created new career pathways, and developed a vision of mentoring that facilitated females' development of a critical view of the science community and their legitimate participation.

Understanding the role of organizational factors in shaping the research careers of women academics in higher education

“…In line with the findings of Davis (2001) regarding the academic community, members acquire respect and status, intellectual capital actually, also as a result of working in a research team under the guidance of an experienced researcher. This sense of community was identified by our participants as extremely significant -since they believed that a wellfunctioning research group provides scope for all group members to make a contribution:…”

“…Such intellectual capital could be used to obtain funding and to deepen the group's knowledge base about ways of developing and structuring the research community (Davis, 2001).…”

Why Do Students in STEM Higher Education Programmes Drop/Opt Out? – Explanations Offered from Research

“…In a review of studies on women in computer-related majors, Singh, Allen, Scheckler & Darlington (2007) found that the quantitative studies are primarily based on descriptive analyses, individualized measures, and implicit theoretical frameworks. The qualitative methods used in the research to understand identity issues vary from life history interviews with a small sample of students (Wood, 2002), focusing on already ongoing initiatives (Davis, 2001) to methods involving a range of qualitative methods (Carlone & Johnson, 2007). This research is primarily set in a US context and is mainly related to minority representation problems, in particular the lack of women or non-white students (or both) in STEM programmes (for a full review of this literature see Ulriksen, Madsen, & Holmegaard, 2010).…”

Long-distance relationships

“…In terms of content, the network can contain peers, "step-ahead" peers, or supervisors (Ensher, Thomas, & Murphy, 2001). For example, mentoring may involve a peer group, such as when women scientists convene to talk about the science community (Davis, 2001). A network can also refer to "cascade mentoring," a popular group form in science education circles, where a professor may supervise graduate students or advanced undergraduates in research, who in turn supervise lower-division undergraduates (e.g., Davis, Ginorio, Hollenshead, Lazarus, & Rayman, 1996).…”