ROUNDTABLE: Gender, Inclusivity and the Good Profession

Abstract

The promotion of gender equality and inclusivity in political science is at a crossroads. While progress has been made towards gender equality and inclusivity in academia, a number of challenges remain to be tackled in order to achieve a good profession. On the one hand, awareness for a more equal profession has raised among the scholarly community and professional associations and a number of actions have been taken in this regard. On the other hand, systemic prejudices and structural inequalities remain across a number of aspects in the profession, including gender patterns in citations, collaboration on grants and publications, representation among gate-keeping positions and full professorships. In addition, political science has been experiencing an increasing level of external expectations for tangible outputs and impact. In some countries, programmes and research streams have even been placed under political scrutiny, including gender-related programmes. This Roundtable takes stock of the progress and remaining barriers towards equality and inclusivity in political science. How can we foster change in academic gender relations? What are the gold standards for a good profession? What is the future of gender equality and diversity policy in neoliberal universities? The Roundtable brings together speakers with extensive experience in studying gender and diversity politics in higher education, researching gender and diversity in hostile political environments, and with experience in running the academic publishing process and the potential gender bias and exclusionary practices it may involve. The participants come from a broad range of geographical and subfield backgrounds to stimulate a wide-ranging reflection on the responsibility of the entire political science community in moving towards the goal of an inclusive, gender-equal profession and simultaneously protecting scholars studying contentious topics from oppression. The Roundtable addresses macro- and micro-level dynamics. In relation to the former, it explores how current transformations in higher education and the political environment affect the promotion of gender equality and inclusivity in the profession. On the latter, it is an opportunity to reflect on academic norms that privilege specific life choices and intersectional experiences of inclusion and exclusion. We will not seek to come up with definite answers to what the 'Good Profession' is, but we will explore the implications of the topics for the future of political science.