Sociology seminar – Thursdays

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm 
Date: 5th October 2023
Place: room 3105

ZOOM  : https://zoom.us/j/95438122710?pwd=MUFrR2d3U0xSaE93OFlXNlFvTVcrZz09

Marga Torre (Université Charles-III de Madrid) – Does Gender Parity Foster Collaboration? Trends in Gender Homophily in Scientific Publications, 1980–2019

Abstract:

As jobs are increasingly becoming gender-neutral, we ask whether achieving occupational gender parity is sufficient to eradicate homophilic behavior and foster gender integration in the workplace. In this study, we examine how levels of homophilic behavior vary in male-dominated, neutral, and female-dominated contexts. We use data from the Web of Science to determine whether the increasing presence of women across all research fields has promoted gender collaboration in academia. Specifically, we have collected data from all articles published from 1980 to 2019, encompassing 15,642 journals, 28,241,100 articles, and 111,980,858 authorships across 153 research areas. The results reveal an increase in gender homophily in fields straddling the boundary between male-dominated and gender-neutral. We argue that the decline in collaboration in quasi-balanced gender contexts is due to men’s reluctance to collaborate with women, rather than to mutually exclusionary behaviors. Given the historically unequal distribution of power and social capital between genders, we contend that the male majority has strong incentives to use their privileged position to maintain it. Thus, exclusionary mechanisms against female minorities, such as homophilic behavior, are exacerbated as the presence of women in male-dominated occupations increases and threatens the status quo. The findings suggest that occupational gender parity alone is not sufficient for attaining gender equality.

Organizers: Annina Cleasson, Etienne Ollion, Patrick Präg (CREST Sociology unit)

Sponsors: CREST