Choosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”

This research focuses on the absence of women among academic staff in physics. To explore the causes of this gender imbalance, we focus on the decision-making junction between obtaining a Ph.D. diploma and pursuing a postdoctoral position. We use the mixed-methods paradigm, combining a nationwide re...

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Autores principales:	Meytal Eran-Jona, Yosef Nir
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	American Physical Society 2021
Materias:	Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Physics QC1-999
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/39eb210816ff47ff86c173095859eecb
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:39eb210816ff47ff86c173095859eecb2021-12-02T16:40:39ZChoosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.0201012469-9896https://doaj.org/article/39eb210816ff47ff86c173095859eecb2021-07-01T00:00:00Zhttp://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.020101http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.020101https://doaj.org/toc/2469-9896This research focuses on the absence of women among academic staff in physics. To explore the causes of this gender imbalance, we focus on the decision-making junction between obtaining a Ph.D. diploma and pursuing a postdoctoral position. We use the mixed-methods paradigm, combining a nationwide representative survey of Ph.D. students in Israel (n=267 respondents out of 404 questioned) and interviews with Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows (n=38). The theoretical novelty that we propose is to view such career decision making as a “deal” that involves contextual, organizational, and individual variables and their intersection. Young women are examining the components of this deal: what it offers them and what prices they will have to pay, but their decision is made within a gendered power structure. Studying both context factors and agency, we reveal the multiple hidden ways in which gender operates as a power structure, putting up barriers to women’s academic careers. This latent power structure influences women’s decision making and experiences in several ways. In the academic field, it produces unequal competition in a male-dominated playground. In the social sphere, choosing a demanding academic career is seen as disrupting gender order. Within the family, women carry a greater burden of family work and give precedence to their husband’s career and preferences. Within this social structure, women who decide to follow an academic career feel that they must excel, and this demand for “excellence” acts as a hidden mechanism within the gendered power structure that may prevent talented women from pursuing an academic career in physics.Meytal Eran-JonaYosef NirAmerican Physical SocietyarticleSpecial aspects of educationLC8-6691PhysicsQC1-999ENPhysical Review Physics Education Research, Vol 17, Iss 2, p 020101 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Physics QC1-999
spellingShingle	Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Physics QC1-999 Meytal Eran-Jona Yosef Nir Choosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”
description	This research focuses on the absence of women among academic staff in physics. To explore the causes of this gender imbalance, we focus on the decision-making junction between obtaining a Ph.D. diploma and pursuing a postdoctoral position. We use the mixed-methods paradigm, combining a nationwide representative survey of Ph.D. students in Israel (n=267 respondents out of 404 questioned) and interviews with Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows (n=38). The theoretical novelty that we propose is to view such career decision making as a “deal” that involves contextual, organizational, and individual variables and their intersection. Young women are examining the components of this deal: what it offers them and what prices they will have to pay, but their decision is made within a gendered power structure. Studying both context factors and agency, we reveal the multiple hidden ways in which gender operates as a power structure, putting up barriers to women’s academic careers. This latent power structure influences women’s decision making and experiences in several ways. In the academic field, it produces unequal competition in a male-dominated playground. In the social sphere, choosing a demanding academic career is seen as disrupting gender order. Within the family, women carry a greater burden of family work and give precedence to their husband’s career and preferences. Within this social structure, women who decide to follow an academic career feel that they must excel, and this demand for “excellence” acts as a hidden mechanism within the gendered power structure that may prevent talented women from pursuing an academic career in physics.
format	article
author	Meytal Eran-Jona Yosef Nir
author_facet	Meytal Eran-Jona Yosef Nir
author_sort	Meytal Eran-Jona
title	Choosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”
title_short	Choosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”
title_full	Choosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”
title_fullStr	Choosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”
title_full_unstemmed	Choosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”
title_sort	choosing physics within a gendered power structure: the academic career in physics as a “deal”
publisher	American Physical Society
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/39eb210816ff47ff86c173095859eecb
work_keys_str_mv	AT meytaleranjona choosingphysicswithinagenderedpowerstructuretheacademiccareerinphysicsasadeal AT yosefnir choosingphysicswithinagenderedpowerstructuretheacademiccareerinphysicsasadeal
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Choosing physics within a gendered power structure: The academic career in physics as a “deal”

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