A HUN-REN Társadalomtudományi Kutatóközpont (MTA Kiváló Kutatóhely) 

Szociológiai Intézete 

tisztelettel meghívja 150. Jour Fixe eseményére

 

Gender Equality Barriers in Agriculture and Life Sciences in Central European Universities
 

Előadók: Paksi Veronika, Tardos Katalin, Takács Judit (HUN-REN TK SZI)

Társszerzők: Suhajda Csilla (MATE), Jana Mazancová (Czech University of Life Sciences Prague), Štefan Bojnec (University of Primorska, Slovenia), Julianna Kobolák (MATE)

Hozzászólók: Virágh Enikő (ELTE), Albert Fruzsina (HUN-REN TK Szociológiai Intézet)

Időpont: 2025. április 10. csütörtök 13:00

Helyszín: Az eseményt hibrid formában tartjuk meg.

Személyesen: Szociológiai Intézet 1097 Budapest Tóth Kálmán utca 4.;  B.1.15 tárgyaló

Online: Zoom link: 

HAMAROSAN

 

Absztrakt

The European Union aims to foster research excellence, among others, by increasing gender equality (GE) in the European Research Area. The mandatory introduction of gender equality plans (GEP) mobilised universities to assess, target and monitor GE in different fields of science. A wide range of barriers have been explored in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields characterised by the low participation of women. However, significant obstacles to GE can emerge in relatively more gender-balanced and, therefore, rarely studied fields, such as agriculture and life sciences (ALS). Experiences can alter in Central and Eastern European countries, characterised by rather traditional gender and family norms. This study explores different stakeholders’ perceptions of the main barriers of GE and GEPs, with particular attention to ALS. We conducted nine focus groups (82 participants in total) with middle management, academic staff and students from Czech, Hungarian and Slovenian universities, aiming to contribute to the revision of their first GEP. Discussions were centred on recruitment, leadership positions, work-life balance, gender-based violence including sexual harassment, organisational culture, integrating the gender dimension into research, and institutionalisation of GEPs. Findings revealed that women in ALS face similar gender-based obstacles to their counterparts in less gender-balanced fields, including perceptions of education and career choices, work-life balance, and exclusion by recruitment practices and promotion opportunities. Challenges of laboratory and fieldwork were also explored. Findings highlight the need for institutions to carefully address these areas in their state-of-the-art assessments and develop sector-specific, tailor-made GEPs.

 

Kulcsszavak

academia and higher education, agriculture and life sciences (ALS), barriers, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), gender equality (GE), Gender Equality Plan (GEP), inclusion of women, stakeholders

A kézirat elkérhető a szerzőktől, Paksi Veronikától, paksi.veronika@tk.hun-ren.hu emali címen.