The Status of Women in Political Science Departments in the South: Results of the Millennium Survey

Abstract

IntroductionFor over a decade, the Southern Political Science Association has been committed to assessing the status of women faculty members by regularly administering surveys to political science programs within the South. These surveys, sponsored by the SPSA and administered by the Committee on the Status of Women, have resulted in numerous recommendations for creating diversity within departments and gender equity within programs. In this article we examine the results of the Millennium Survey, the latest effort to evaluate the progress of female political scientists within the South. Our findings suggest that in the last 10 years women faculty have made great progress, especially in Ph.D. granting institutions where the number of women in tenured positions at the rank of associate and full professor has doubled since the last survey. This is an important shift from a trend noted in an earlier CSW survey and in a national report in the September–October 1998 issue of Academe where the author remarked that “Women, unlike men, traded off rank for institutional prestige. For women, the more prestigious their institution, the lower their rank; for men there was no such relationship” (Valian 1998). Contrary to the national trend dynamic, women in the South are making the most progress at the most prestigious institutions. Perhaps there are a greater number of faculty positions within doctoral departments and that in the last 10 years these programs have had more opportunities to hire and promote women. Our survey suggests that there have been fewer tenure-track positions available for women within departments at smaller, bachelor's degree-granting institutions. While the number of female associate professors has increased within baccalaureate-granting programs, the number of female full professors has actually declined. However, the overall number of women faculty members at all ranks has increased in the majority of political science programs within the South.

Predicting Rank Attainment in Political Science: What Else Besides Publications Affects Promotion?

“…This finding may actually represent deterioration within our profession. Data gathered around the end of the 20th century indicated that women were gaining tenure at rates relatively similar to men (Hesli and Burrell 1995; McBride Stetson et al 1990; Van Assendelft, Gunther-Canada, and Dolan 2001).…”

Women in the Profession: The Composition of UK Political Science Departments by Sex

“…For example, Parveen Akhtar et al (2005b) point towards four factors that inhibit women from pursuing postgraduate research in political science: stereotyping; (lack of) role models; family commitments; and time constraints. Yet, literature in this area that focuses on the UK is not as developed as the literature that focuses on the US (see, for example, APSA, 2005; Assendelft, Gunther-Canada and Dolan, 2001; Assendelft et al, 2003; Brandes et al, 2001; Burton, 1979; Burton and Darcy, 1985; Committee on the Status of Women, 1992; Converse and Converse, 1971; Finifter, 1973; Henehan and Sarkees, 2009; Jaquette, 1971; Maliniak et al, 2008; Schuck, 1969; Tolleson-Rinehart and Carroll, 2006) and, even here, ‘Political science has studied itself with respect to women's advancement far less than economics, sociology, and a number of the hard sciences’ (APSA, 2005, p. v).…”

Political Science in a Different Voice: Women Faculty Perspectives on the Status of Women in Political Science Departments in the South

“…Three surveys have been conducted, the first two reported limited progress towards gender equity in the profession, noting in particular the underrepresentation of women at the top of the profession (see Stetson et al 1990, andGuy 1992). More recently, the 2000 survey of department chairs reported significant progress in increasing the representation of women at all ranks, but especially at Ph.D. granting institutions where the number of women in tenured positions at the rank of associate and full professor doubled since the previous survey (see van Assendelft et al 2001). In 1990, women held only 5.8% of full professor positions and in 2000 they constituted 11.2% of full professors.…”