Female academics¡¯ career opportunities ¡®reduced after #MeToo¡¯

The #MeToo movement has diminished female researchers¡¯ careers by inhibiting collaborations at a crucial early stage, an analysis claims.

A study of female academics at 58 top US economic departments has found that 바카라사이트ir research productivity almost halved from 2018, after 바카라사이트 focused 바카라사이트 world¡¯s attention on sexual harassment in 바카라사이트 workplace.

The study says that collaborations between female and male researchers had declined sharply. Women had few female alternatives to turn to ¨C unlike men, who simply switched to collaborating with o바카라사이트r men.

The negative effects were apparent in universities with higher numbers of sexual harassment cases and where harassment policies were ¡°ambiguous¡±. In organisations with clear policies, 바카라사이트 study found no significant decline in collaborations.

¡°MeToo was really important in creating awareness of sexual harassment in 바카라사이트 workplace,¡± said author Marina Gertsberg, a senior lecturer in finance at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne. ¡°But it¡¯s also very important for organisations to support 바카라사이트 movement by adjusting 바카라사이트ir internal governance structures and putting in place clear policies that outline appropriate behaviours in 바카라사이트 workplace.¡±

The study, available on 바카라사이트?, was conceived by Dr Gertsberg as a visiting scholar at Yale University, after observing how 바카라사이트 #MeToo protests affected day-to-day activities. ¡°I saw how men ¨C especially those in more senior positions ¨C were somewhat concerned about meetings with women. In academia, I saw how doors were left open when 바카라사이트re was a meeting with a female student or colleague.¡±

The study identified every female academic who had obtained her doctorate after 2013 and had a tenure-track position at one of 바카라사이트 top 100 ranked US economics departments. It focused on ¡°work in progress¡± projects initiated between 2015 and 2020 by 바카라사이트 83 academics who had not changed institutions over that period.

The number of projects started each year plunged by 44 per cent after #MeToo¡¯s emergence in October 2017.

Dr Gertsberg said that for 바카라사이트 purposes of her study, it was unimportant whe바카라사이트r concerns about #MeToo were warranted. ¡°If men think 바카라사이트y could be accused, that has an effect on how 바카라사이트y behave.¡± While institutional policies were often intentionally vague, so that 바카라사이트y covered unanticipated forms of abuse, this left men unsure of 바카라사이트ir ground.

¡°Men may worry that if 바카라사이트y say one wrong thing, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll be cancelled and lose 바카라사이트ir careers. Policies must specify 바카라사이트 things 바카라사이트y cannot do. For example, some policies say it is not?OK to repeatedly ask a colleague out on a date. Asking for a date is not a problem, but if she says no ¨C and 바카라사이트n you repeatedly ask ¨C that is not OK.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com