‘Not recognized as competent’
Women’s struggles for leadership in Cameroon’s Anglo-Saxon universities
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19224786 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Violet Yigha Fokum (University of Bamenda, corresponding author), Clodine S Mbuli (Independent researcher), Ransom Tanyu Ngenge (0000-0003-1573-8289, Jagiellonian University), Modestine Ginje Tangwa (University of Buea) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-15 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-13 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | African Identities (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1472-5843 • E-ISSN: 1472-5851 |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14725843.2026.2655908 |
| OpenAlex | W7154173880 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 31 |
Despite global and national commitments to gender equality, women remain starkly under-represented in senior academic leadership within Cameroon’s Anglo-Saxon universities. This study investigates the persistent gender gap at the University of Buea and the University of Bamenda, drawing on qualitative interviews with 24 academic staff. The study adopts a narrative interview with 24 staff currently or previously holding academic and administrative leadership roles in these universities. Using a qualitative feminist design and reflexive thematic analysis, the study interprets their experiences through the post-colonial feminist theory and feminist institutionalism to portray the unique experiences of African women in these Universities. Findings reveal how entrenched patriarchal norms, institutional biases and socio-political dynamics perpetuate structural barriers (manifesting as the ‘glass ceiling’, ‘sticky floor’ and tokenistic appointments) that hinder women’s advancement to roles such as Vice-Chancellor and Dean. The study exposes how colonial legacies and gendered power structures continue to shape leadership trajectories. Participants’ narratives underscore the emotional toll of marginalization, the burden of domestic expectations and the lack of institutional support. The research calls for transformative action, including gender-sensitive policies, mentorship programmes and leadership quotas, to dismantle systemic inequities and foster inclusive governance in Cameroonian higher education
Action (physics) · Context (archaeology) · Government (linguistics) · Work (physics) · African history and culture studies · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Gender Politics and Representation
The Inconvenient Truth About Convenience and Purposive Samples
Females in higher education and leadership
Unlocking women’s sustainability leadership potential
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Resisting gendered change
New Institutionalism Through a Gender Lens
Of Roles and Rules
Gender equality - whose agenda? Observations from Cameroon
Gender equality in academia
Feminism and Postcolonialism
A gendered academy - women's experiences from higher education in Cameroon
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |