Naming the parts: a case-study of a gender equality initiative with academic women. Issue 5 (6th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prof. Tanuja Agarwala, Assoc.; O Grada, Aifric; Ní Laoire, Caitríona; Linehan, Carol; Boylan, Geraldine; Connolly, Linda
• Is Part Of: Gender in management. Volume 30:Issue 5(2015)
• Page Start: 358
• Page End: 378
• Publication Date: 2015-07-06
• Subjects: Women executives -- Periodicals; 658.40082
• DOI: 10.1108/GM-09-2013-0118
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1754-2413

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Purpose</title> <p> – This paper aims to seek to contribute to current debates about the effectiveness of different types of gender equality interventions in the academic context. This paper presents an argument for the need to move beyond an individual-structural dichotomy in how such interventions are perceived. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Design/methodology/approach</title> <p> – The paper draws on an action-research case-study, the Through <italic>the Glass Ceiling</italic> project, to challenge the idea that "individual"/single-actor interventions serve only to reinforce underlying inequalities by attempting to "fix the women". </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Findings</title> <p> – It is suggested that actions that support women in their careers have the potential to achieve a degree of transformation at individual, cultural and structural levels when such actions are designed with an understanding of how individuals embody the gendered and gendering social structures and values that are constantly being produced and reproduced within society and academia. The case study highlights the benefits of supporting individuals as gendered actors in gendering institutions and of facilitating the development of critical gender awareness, suggesting that such interventions are most effective when undertaken as part of an integrated institutional equality agenda. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Originality/value</title> <p> – By calling attention to the ongoing mutual construction of actors and practices in organizations, this paper seeks to make both a conceptual contribution to how we understand the (re)production and potential transformation of gender relations in academia and to influence wider policy dialogues on diversity at work.</p> </sec> </abstract>