Tag Archives: gender

International Women's Day: being female in academia

International Women’s Day: being female in academia

I was asked recently to talk to some early career researchers about the challenges of being female in academia. At first, all I could think of was my privileged race, class, nationality and sexuality. Yet many of the gains for women in academia have only been recent and we still lag behind in pay. Women […] … learn more→

Why are political experts mostly men? Women also know stuff

Why are political experts mostly men? Women also know stuff

With the rise of Republican candidate Donald Trump, the demise of establishment candidates and a nomination contest between a self-proclaimed socialist and a woman, this election has delivered many surprises. Political scientists have often been called to weigh in. Such conversations are critical as they enable academics to communicate the science of politics and add […] … learn more→

Study: Students don’t like female professors

Study: Students don’t like female professors

Professors across the country are heavily rated by Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs)…surveys filled out by students on how well they like the teacher. Yes, these things are obviously biased towards things that have nothing to do with education, and a professor who wants good evaluations merely needs to be an easy grader. Administration has […] … learn more→

The dictionary on trial

In a court of law, a dictionary can be a blunt weapon. It provides meanings, to be sure, and context for arguments. But by its very nature, a dictionary rarely cuts to the heart of the matter. This is particularly true when a case turns on the definition of a word, and the word itself […] … learn more→

Is “Feminist” a sexist word?

Whenever I teach an introductory lesson on “gender” in my first-year international affairs and international relations classes, I find myself prefacing my explanation of “feminism” with the familiar “Feminism is not about man-hating. Feminists are concerned with both men and women,” in order to fend off the usual hostile responses from both male and female […] … learn more→

Sugar and spice and… math under-achievement?

Mathematics has a girl problem. Although girls achieve at equal levels to boys in middle and high school, many girls stop taking math as soon as they can. Girls are also much less likely than boys to enter math-intensive college majors and, later, careers. Gender researchers have shown that the root of this girl problem […] … learn more→