Women in the Profession

An Update on the Gendered Composition of the Discipline and Political Science Departments in the UK

Bibliographic Data

ID6348394
AuthorsZoe Young (0000-0003-1637-9249, De Montfort University), Zoe Pflaeger Young, Fran Amery (0000-0002-9771-1831, University of Bath), Stephen Bate (0000-0002-9182-1167, University of Birmingham, corresponding author), Stephen Mckay (0000-0002-1580-1287), Steve Mckay (0000-0002-5080-8417, University of Lincoln), Cherry Miller (0000-0002-8149-1248, Tampere University), Taylor Billings (University of Birmingham), Rebecca Hayton (University of Birmingham), Marianne Holt, Marianne Ingerslev Holt (0009-0005-1147-4775, University of Birmingham), Jasmine Khatri (University of Birmingham), Molly Marvin (University of St Andrews), Lola Ogunsanya (University of Birmingham), Alice Ramdehal (University of Birmingham), Rosie Sullivan (University of Birmingham)
Year2021
Volume19
Issue1
Pages12-36
Publication date2021-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitical Studies Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1478-9299 • E-ISSN: 1478-9302
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1478929920905503
OpenAlexW2978541386
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited44

We present data on the proportions and seniority of female and male political scientists working in the UK. Comparing the results with previous research from 2011, we find that progress has been made. However, progress has been incremental and we find no qualitative changes in the status of female political scientists: they continue to be outnumbered by their male counterparts; they are overrepresented in the least senior job groups and underrepresented in the most senior; and the average female political scientist occupies a less senior position than the average male counterpart. We also run regression analyses to explore the impact of broader contextual factors on the proportion of female political scientists within a unit and that unit’s ‘gender seniority gap’. We find evidence that gender equality kitemarks, university mission group membership, the gender of the Head of Unit and Vice-Chancellor and the proportion of female members of university governance bodies appear to matter for one or both of these measures but not always in the direction that might be expected. These results, then, raise questions about what strategies might be pursued by those who wish to improve the status of women in the profession

Business · Corporate governance · Demographic economics · Economics · Gender gap · Management · Political science · Politics · Position (finance · Seniority · Sociology · Unit (ring theory · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Gender Politics and Representation · Gender Studies · Law · Political Science Research and Education · Psychology

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access