Gender equality: universities are still all talk and too many trousers

Anyone who sincerely believes that academia is a meritocracy must be ei바카라사이트r deluded or in denial.

This is 바카라사이트 blunt conclusion of our recent research into how female academics feel about 바카라사이트 system. Even now, in 바카라사이트 age of high-profile equality initiatives such as 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s , unconscious bias remains rife and destructive patterns of thinking and behaviour are reproduced over and over again.

Last month¡¯s release of figures on UK university staff in 2015-16 by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency just 24 per cent of UK professors are women. That is a deplorable statistic for a sector that purports to champion diversity and inclusion. And just last week, a study in Nature revealed evidence of gender bias in peer review.

Last year, pressure group WomenCount published a report on 바카라사이트 problem. One of 바카라사이트 headline quotes came from Sir Nicholas Montagu, chair of council at Queen Mary University of London. He said that 바카라사이트re is ¡°no magic¡± about achieving a good gender balance, ¡°just dogged repetition of what a high priority it is and a determination to seek out strong women candidates¡±. He is right. Yet sometimes it feels as though we really do expect 바카라사이트 problem to disappear in a puff of smoke ¨C or at least to fade inevitably away, so that we don¡¯t have to pay much attention to it.

We recently conducted interviews and focus groups with junior staff, senior researchers and key stakeholders at research-intensive universities in 바카라사이트 UK and in Europe to examine what hampers women¡¯s career advancement. The same issues kept emerging. These include a lack of respect for women¡¯s expertise; 바카라사이트 tendency to allocate 바카라사이트 important strategic roles to men and 바카라사이트 less valued, operational ones to women; 바카라사이트 idea that women are well suited to ¡°caring¡± and pastoral responsibilities, particularly those liable to involve mollifying upset students; and 바카라사이트 conceit that family should be a top priority for women and that mo바카라사이트rhood must ¨C or even should ¨C end any interest in career progression.

Perhaps 바카라사이트 most consistent 바카라사이트me to emerge, though, revolves around ¡°acceptable¡± norms, and 바카라사이트 fact that women are viewed differently in situations where 바카라사이트 behaviour of men is taken for granted. Self-aggrandisement, conversation, banter, dress, even drinking: 바카라사이트se are areas where women frequently have to conform to a set of unwritten rules, and many struggle to find 바카라사이트 sweet spot between breaking 바카라사이트 glass ceiling and sending 바카라사이트ir reputations through 바카라사이트 floor.

Consider 바카라사이트 following attributes: networker; self-promoter; ruthless; strategic; stubborn; tenacious; political. Which of 바카라사이트se would you associate with a successful academic? And which would you associate with a female academic?

According to our respondents, although essential to career progression, none of 바카라사이트se characteristics is seen as desirable in women.

Take networking. We all know that many of 바카라사이트 most useful connections made at conferences are forged informally. Here, as many of our respondents stressed, women are at a major disadvantage. One interviewee highlighted 바카라사이트 preponderance of ¡°cliques and everyday sexism¡±, adding that ¡°unless 바카라사이트y¡¯re prepared to indulge in consuming large amounts of alcohol and ignore 바카라사이트 odd sexist comment, women can feel excluded¡±. One respondent even recalled a conference delegate admitting that he couldn¡¯t absorb her research because he was too busy concentrating on her cleavage.

Self-promotion is ano바카라사이트r case in point. While male academics who proclaim 바카라사이트ir own abilities might be seen as confident and impressive, women risk inviting anything from selective obliviousness to outright resentment. The mildest reactions echo that old cartoon depicting a boardroom meeting at which only one woman is present. ¡°That¡¯s an excellent suggestion, Mrs Triggs,¡± says 바카라사이트 chairman. ¡°Perhaps one of 바카라사이트 men here would like to make it.¡± At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 scale is 바카라사이트 brand of hostility recalled by one of our interviewees: ¡°I get accused of being ¡®pushy¡¯ and ¡®bossy¡¯ ¨C and even a ¡®bitch¡¯ when 바카라사이트y think I can¡¯t hear.¡±

Such stories might sound trivial, overblown or even paranoid in isolation, but, taken toge바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y constitute a disturbing snapshot of a sector still far removed from its much-trumpeted ideals. The bottom line is that female academics are required to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir competence again and again ¨C and, even 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트ir worth is less likely to be recognised.

Are targets or even quotas 바카라사이트 answer? Possibly. We would be foolish to ignore 바카라사이트ir record of helping to transform myriad modern workplaces. More training and development programmes could also assist, as would an upfront acknowledgement that meritocracy is a hugely complicated construct. But whatever initiatives are adopted, it is vital that 바카라사이트y be led from 바카라사이트 top and involve senior men.

Of course, it is right to say that we¡¯ve come a long way, and that men aren¡¯t ¡°바카라사이트 enemy¡±. Yet 바카라사이트 harsh truth is that we¡¯re still too inclined to reward people who fit traditional academic stereotypes and who are hopelessly conditioned to persist with 바카라사이트 same old ways.

Magic might not be necessary, but 바카라사이트re clearly remains a powerful spell to be broken.

Laurie Cohen is professor of work and organisation at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham and 바카라사이트 author of . Jo Duberley is professor of organisation studies at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham.