Improving the Participation of Women in the Philosophy Profession
Despite a number of initiatives within Universities to increase the participation of academic women, Philosophy in Australasia is one discipline where women’s participation in continuing positions continues to lag significantly behind men’s. Other disciplines within the Humanities and Social Sciences appear to have been more successful in attracting and retaining women in academic positions, and in promoting women into senior positions. Given that it appears that for several years now more than half of the students enrolled in undergraduate philosophy subjects in most Universities are women, the explanation of the disparities in men’s and women’s participation cannot be put down to lack of interest in philosophy per se.
According to the latest Australasian Association of Philosophy data collection, in 2004 the total number (FTE) of philosophers employed in continuing positions in Australia was 200.13 of whom women comprise 23%. If we focus on staff employed in teaching and research (that is excluding research only staff) by level the disparities by seniority and are clear. Women comprise 22.87% of all Teaching and Research continuing positions in Philosophy, compared to 39% of all academic positions being held by women across the sector (AVCC data).
The AAP has collected data for a number of years on staffing, student enrolments, and publication outputs of Australasian philosophy departments (schools or programs). It has become clear that the proportion of women employed in continuing positions and the proportion of women above level B remains low. A number of explanations based on anecdotal evidence have been offered. However, there has not been any careful examination of available evidence that might support or discredit any of these suggestions. Given that women undergraduates make up at least 50% of all undergraduate philosophy students in Australia and that a number of institutions have taken steps to try to overcome gender inequities, the factors contributing to women’s low participation in employment in the discipline are worthy of further investigation in order to develop targeted strategies to enhance women’s participation in the profession.
January, 2007