Why is it so difficult to reduce gender inequality in male-dominated higher educational organizations? A feminist institutional perspective

Abstract

Using a Feminist Institutional perspective, and drawing on a wide range of evidence in different institutions and countries, this article identifies the specific aspects of the structure and culture of male dominated higher educational organisations that perpetuate gender inequality. Gender inequality refers to the differential evaluation of women and men, and of areas of predominantly female and predominantly male employment. It is reflected at a structural level in the under-representation of women in senior positions and at a cultural level in the legitimacy of a wide range of practices to value men and to facilitate their access to such positions and to undervalue women and to inhibit their access. It shows that even potentially transformative institutional interventions such as Athena Swan have had little success in reducing gender inequality. It highlights the need to recognise the part played by the 'normal' structures and culture in perpetuating gender inequality.

Developing a theoretical framework for exploring the institutional responses to the Athena SWAN Charter in higher education institutions—A feminist institutionalist perspective

“…Ahmed's ethnographic research findings and reflections on institutionalising diversity in HEIs ( 2012) point also to the integral role played by informal practices and how they become formalised over time and cast within institutional memory. Such research mirrors similar ideas and observations from research conducted in an Irish education context (Devine et al, 2011;Harford, 2018;Lynch, 1994;Maxwell et al, 2019;O'Connor, 2020).…”

“…No such study has been conducted yet solely on the Irish context, neither has a study been carried out solely using FI to examine specifically the micro foundations of the institutional responses to the Athena SWAN Charter. In relation to applying an FI perspective to the topic of gender inequality in the Irish higher education staff profile, it has been used in research to explain for the slow rate of change in the gender profile of higher education's professoriate (O'Connor, 2019b), and in identifying aspects of culture and structure in male dominated HEIs that perpetuates gender inequality (O'Connor, 2020).…”

Navigating unChartered waters: anchoring Athena SWAN into Irish HEIs

“…O'Connor remarked: 'Furthermore, AS in Ireland is located in the Higher Educational Authority which allocates resources to the Higher Educational sector. It is possible that this structural embeddedness may affect its impact -but it is too soon to assess that' (O'Connor, 2020). Kalpazidou Schmidt and Ovseiko (2020) urged that, to avoid box-ticking, policymakers should link Horizon Europe funding to requirements for tangible progress in gender equality, built on the Athena SWAN model.…”

Delivering gender justice in academia through gender equality plans? Normative and practical challenges

“…The second set of considerations concern the limitations of written policy for an evaluation of its potential to realize gender justice. The fact that an institution has a GEP in place does not in itself guarantee a gender just set of outcomes (O'Connor, 2020). Those policies must be interpreted, and they must be implemented.…”