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Prestige in Academia : A Glance at the Gender Distribution

Poulsen, Christian LU (2005)
Abstract
The acquiring of prestige is essential for succeeding at a career in academia. Also, the distribution of prestige between men and women may help explain the low representation of women in full professor positions. The author sets out to disprove the widely accepted notion that universities are based on a pure meritocratic system. The book compounds extensive survey studies of Swedish professors as well as focus group interviews with male and female professors.



It was found that women were not discriminated against in the transferring of merit to prestige. Additionally it was revealed that professors feel the status of the profession has decreased, but that female professors were more satisfied with the current status of... (More)
The acquiring of prestige is essential for succeeding at a career in academia. Also, the distribution of prestige between men and women may help explain the low representation of women in full professor positions. The author sets out to disprove the widely accepted notion that universities are based on a pure meritocratic system. The book compounds extensive survey studies of Swedish professors as well as focus group interviews with male and female professors.



It was found that women were not discriminated against in the transferring of merit to prestige. Additionally it was revealed that professors feel the status of the profession has decreased, but that female professors were more satisfied with the current status of professors. Not surprisingly it was also found that the prestige of Swedish professors is not based alone on merit. Instead relational factors play a role in the assignment of prestige.



Poulsen introduces the term ?consecrating moment? to explain the relational nature of assigning prestige. The concept refutes the widely accepted idea that a career in academia is made up of a long and continual flow of good performance. In doing so, it discusses sociology of education, feminist theory and the theory developed by Robert K. Merton and his followers. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Popular Abstract in Swedish

Avhandlingen diskuterar hur prestige och status kan bidra till att förklara den låga andelen kvinnor bland professorer. Begreppet "consecrating moments" introduceras för att förklara prestiges relationella natur.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Siemienska, Renate, University of Warsaw
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Sociology, Spain, Sweden, Gender, Prestige, Status, Sociologi, Prestige, Status
pages
187 pages
publisher
Ibidem-Verlag
defense location
Pangeasalen Geocentrum Lunds Universitet
defense date
2005-12-09 10:15:00
ISBN
3-89821-512-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
aeef97f6-7879-4938-aadf-89b2b8a80f43 (old id 24703)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 12:18:23
date last changed
2021-12-07 14:36:16
@phdthesis{aeef97f6-7879-4938-aadf-89b2b8a80f43,
  abstract     = {{The acquiring of prestige is essential for succeeding at a career in academia. Also, the distribution of prestige between men and women may help explain the low representation of women in full professor positions. The author sets out to disprove the widely accepted notion that universities are based on a pure meritocratic system. The book compounds extensive survey studies of Swedish professors as well as focus group interviews with male and female professors.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
It was found that women were not discriminated against in the transferring of merit to prestige. Additionally it was revealed that professors feel the status of the profession has decreased, but that female professors were more satisfied with the current status of professors. Not surprisingly it was also found that the prestige of Swedish professors is not based alone on merit. Instead relational factors play a role in the assignment of prestige.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Poulsen introduces the term ?consecrating moment? to explain the relational nature of assigning prestige. The concept refutes the widely accepted idea that a career in academia is made up of a long and continual flow of good performance. In doing so, it discusses sociology of education, feminist theory and the theory developed by Robert K. Merton and his followers.}},
  author       = {{Poulsen, Christian}},
  isbn         = {{3-89821-512-1}},
  keywords     = {{Sociology; Spain; Sweden; Gender; Prestige; Status; Sociologi; Prestige; Status}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Ibidem-Verlag}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Prestige in Academia : A Glance at the Gender Distribution}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}