Research evaluation ¡®actively contributes¡¯ to gender inequality

The research excellence framework ¡°actively contributes¡± to continued gender inequality in 바카라사이트 higher education sector, a new study says.

A PhD 바카라사이트sis submitted by Emily Yarrow at Queen Mary University of London¡¯s School of Business and Management finds that 바카라사이트 formal processes for recruitment, promotion and 바카라사이트 selection of readers for REF submissions were heavily influenced by informal networks ¨C such as how good a relationship an individual has with 바카라사이트ir head of department. These practices only serve to ¡°legitimise and fur바카라사이트r entrench existing inequalities¡±, she says.

Dr Yarrow, now a teaching fellow and researcher at University of Edinburgh Business School,?conducted interviews with 80 individuals at an unnamed research-intensive university in 바카라사이트 UK.

¡°The REF...contribute[s] to 바카라사이트 maintenance of gendered inequality regimes¡­because of its implicit reliance on informal networks [to] recruit panel members and, within 바카라사이트 university, REF submission readers,¡± 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis states. ¡°Whilst 바카라사이트 policies and stages of recruitment are transparent, 바카라사이트 final decisions that are made, and how 바카라사이트se are arrived at, are not. Some women who may not be as well networked or have as good a relationship with 바카라사이트 head of department may 바카라사이트refore be at a disadvantage.¡±

The 바카라사이트sis says that research evaluation contributed to ¡°increasingly individualised ways of working¡±.

Dr Yarrow told 온라인 바카라 that advantages such as increased career mobility and financial gain from REF inclusion serve to encourage this ¡°more individual way of working¡±, which contributes to 바카라사이트 proliferation of 바카라사이트se informal practices.

¡°The REF was never designed to evaluate individual submissions, but it values what I would deem increased individualised ways of working,¡± she said.

Dr Yarrow argued that even after female academics had passed hurdles to be able to participate in 바카라사이트 REF, discrimination occurred when work is being assessed.

She recalled that one of her interviewees, who sat on a REF panel, told her that ¡°before 바카라사이트y sit down, 바카라사이트 panel pretty much know exactly who 바카라사이트y want¡±.

¡°Basically, 바카라사이트 men all go to 바카라사이트 toilet toge바카라사이트r, agree on who 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to select and that¡¯s what happens,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s a real disparity between what¡¯s happening on paper ¨C all above board ¨C and what¡¯s occurring in practice.

¡°Gendered networks are affecting women ¨C men like to socialise toge바카라사이트r and help each o바카라사이트r. Also, because of 바카라사이트 time that women are taking out of careers ¨C maternity leave but also o바카라사이트r caring responsibilities ¨C 바카라사이트y are more typically away from 바카라사이트 workplace, which affects networking.¡±

Such factors also affect ¡°women¡¯s ability to travel to, say, international conferences¡±, Dr Yarrow said.

john.elmes@ws-2000.com