Gender and Physics in the Academy
Theory, Policy and Practice in European Perspective
Edited by Meytal Eran-Jona, Pauline Leonard, Yosef Nir and Marika Taylor
Published
Sep 30, 2024Page count
272 pagesISBN
978-1529222302Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
Sep 30, 2024Page count
272 pagesISBN
978-1529222319Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University Press
Gender and Physics in the Academy
This innovative interdisciplinary collection confronts the worldwide challenge of women's under-representation in science through an interrogation of the field of physics and its gender imbalance.
Leading physicists and sociologists from across Europe collaborate to adopt a comparative approach. They draw on theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence to explore the reasons behind low participation levels, from entering the field to sustaining a career, emphasising the importance of social perspectives over biological explanations.
Evaluating policy solutions implemented in various European contexts, this book offers key insights into the world of women physicists and sheds light on their life stories.
Meytal Eran-Jona is an organizational sociologist and the Head of Diversity and Inclusion Office at Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.
Pauline Leonard is Professor of Sociology, Director of the Web Science Institute and Director of the Work Futures Research Centre, University of Southampton, UK.
Yosef Nir is Professor in the Faculty of Physics, the Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.
Marika Taylor is Professor of Theoretical Physics and Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK.
- Chapter 1: Introduction
Part 1. Theoretical Perspectives
- Chapter 2: Embedding Gender Equality into the Culture and Discipline of Physics: An Unfinished Revolution. Tomas Brage and Eileen Drew.
- Chapter 3: Theorizing Gender Inequality in Physics: Gendered Divisions of Labour in the Neoliberal University. Rebecca Lund and Helene Aarseth.
Part 2: Researching Gender and Physics
- Chapter 4: The Academic Career in Physics as a ‘Deal’: Choosing Physics within a Gendered Power Structure Meytal Eran Jona and Yossi Nir
- Chapter 5: Difficult to recognise but harmful: experiences of microaggressions among European women physicists. Paulina Sekula
- Chapter 6: The Physics PhD Race and the ‘Glass Hurdles’ for Women: A Case Study of Israel. Meytal Eran Jona and Yosef Nir.
Part 3: European Initiatives
- Chapter 7: The GENERA project: experiences and learnings of a structural change project to promote gender equality in Physics Thomas Berghӧfer, Helene Schiffbānker and Lisa Kamlade.
- Chapter 8: Women in String Theory. Yolanda Lozano and Marika Taylor.
- Chapter 9: Have equality awards existing in Higher Education in the UK benefited current female academics? Nicola Wilkin and Jaimie Miller- Friedman.
Part 4: Personal Experiences
- Chapter 10: Biographical accounts of physicists. Marika Taylor.
- Chapter 11: A room of one’s own: photographs of female physicists in their working spaces. Meytal Eran Jona and Sharon Diamant Pick (Ed)
- Chapter 12: Conclusion. Pauline Leonard, Meytal Eran Jona, Yosef Nir and Marika Taylor.