Negotiating the Glass Ceiling : Careers of Senior Women in the Academic World

Why is it that in many universities the number of women professors can literally be counted on the fingers of one hand while the number of men number in the hundreds? Why are women academics so relatively disadvantaged and men so firmly in control?In an attempt to find answers to these questions Negotiating the Glass Ceiling gathers together the unique personal reflections of 16 eminent women working in higher education across the world. These personal reflections document some of the changing patterns of women's lives in higher education since the war, a time of massive social change within education itself, as well as in women's lives outside higher education. They also illustrate that the changes that have occured have been hard won and not without consequences for the women involved. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Dedication......Page 3 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 8 Context......Page 9 The ‘Through the Glass Ceiling’ Network......Page 12 The Position of Women in Higher Education in Britain......Page 13 The Early History and Origins of the ‘Man-centred’ Universities......Page 15 The Universities and Higher Education Expansion in the Post-war Period......Page 16 Women’s Struggle for Access to Higher Education......Page 18 The Position of Women Academics in Higher Education Since the 1970s......Page 20 The Concept of the Glass Ceiling......Page 21 The Biography/Life History of the Book......Page 23 The Organization of the Book......Page 25 Acknowledgments......Page 26 References......Page 27 Part One International Perspectives......Page 30 2 Rewinding the Tape: Starting Anew......Page 31 Travelling Forwards; Looking Backwards......Page 32 Five Decisions on a Parallel Track......Page 34 Childhood Experiences......Page 38 References......Page 40 Introduction......Page 42 The Situation of Women in Sport Science......Page 43 Women in the Scientific Community......Page 45 Background and Causes......Page 46 Biography......Page 50 Opportunities and Obstacles......Page 52 Problems......Page 53 References......Page 54 One Woman’s Swim ‘Against the Tide’: Preparing for the Swim......Page 56 Entering Academic Waters with Female Mathematicians......Page 58 Uncharted Waters for Dual-role Women in Mathematics Education......Page 59 Support for Women Who Swim Against the Tide......Page 60 Women Chief Executive Officers of American and British Colleges and Universities......Page 61 Women in Higher Education in the United States as Students, Faculty Members, and Administrators......Page 62 Women Presidents of American Colleges and Universities......Page 63 Women Chief Academic Officers of American Colleges and Universities......Page 65 The American Council on Education’s Office of Women in Higher Education......Page 66 References......Page 67 5 A Malady of Leisure and Travel: The Autobiography of A Scholar......Page 68 Part Two Reflections on Past Careers......Page 80 6 A Lifetime of Learning......Page 81 7 A Flying Start......Page 90 Career? What Career?......Page 91 Marriage or Career?......Page 92 War: Transition to the LSE......Page 96 Secret Goals......Page 97 Going to LSE......Page 98 After LSE......Page 100 Going to Swansea......Page 103 Moving into Medical Sociology......Page 104 Public Service......Page 105 On Being the First Woman Professor......Page 106 Acknowledgment......Page 107 References......Page 108 8 An Accidental Academic......Page 109 Reference......Page 122 9 An ‘Interesting’ Career in Higher Education......Page 123 References......Page 134 10 Luck, Hard Work and An Unplanned Career......Page 136 11 The Road not Taken......Page 145 Part Three Reflections on Current Careers......Page 156 12 Health and Efficiency......Page 157 13 From Rags to Riches to Rags Again......Page 171 14 Always a Catholic? Guilt, Rebellion and ‘Trying A Little Harder For God’......Page 180 Discovering Higher Education and the Pull of Ideas......Page 184 From Teacher Education to Industrial Sociology and Women’s Studies......Page 185 Management or Research?......Page 188 Moving On......Page 189 References......Page 190 15 The Accidental Manager......Page 192 16 ‘You Know Where You Are With Numbers’......Page 204 Might be Cracked .........Page 213 References......Page 220 Postscript......Page 223 The Themes of the Book: Opportunities and Obstacles......Page 224 Higher Education as a ‘Negative Dowry’ for Women?......Page 225 Higher Education as ‘A Room of One’s Own’?......Page 228 Reference......Page 230 Education, Politics & IR, Sociology & Social Policy Book Cover 1 Half-Title 2 Dedication 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Introduction 8 1 Introduction 9 Context 9 The ‘Through the Glass Ceiling’ Network 12 The Position of Women in Higher Education in Britain 13 The Early History and Origins of the ‘Man-centred’ Universities 15 The Universities and Higher Education Expansion in the Post-war Period 16 Women’s Struggle for Access to Higher Education 18 The Position of Women Academics in Higher Education Since the 1970s 20 The Concept of the Glass Ceiling 21 The Biography/Life History of the Book 23 The Organization of the Book 25 Acknowledgments 26 References 27 Part One International Perspectives 30 2 Rewinding the Tape: Starting Anew 31 Travelling Forwards; Looking Backwards 32 Five Decisions on a Parallel Track 34 Childhood Experiences 38 References 40 3 The Struggle for Balance: The Career of a German University Professor 42 Introduction 42 The Situation of Women in Sport Science 43 Women in the Scientific Community 45 Background and Causes 46 Biography 50 My Life Today 52 Opportunities and Obstacles 52 Problems 53 References 54 4 Against the Tide: The Career Paths of Women Chief Academic Officers of American Colleges and Universities 56 One Woman’s Swim ‘Against the Tide’: Preparing for the Swim 56 Entering Academic Waters with Female Mathematicians 58 Uncharted Waters for Dual-role Women in Mathematics Education 59 The Traditional Course to the Position of Chief Academic Officer 60 Support for Women Who Swim Against the Tide 60 Women Chief Executive Officers of American and British Colleges and Universities 61 Women in Higher Education in the United States as Students, Faculty Members, and Administrators 62 Women Presidents of American Colleges and Universities 63 Women Chief Academic Officers of American Colleges and Universities 65 The American Council on Education’s Office of Women in Higher Education 66 Note 67 References 67 5 A Malady of Leisure and Travel: The Autobiography of A Scholar 68 Part Two Reflections on Past Careers 80 6 A Lifetime of Learning 81 7 A Flying Start 90 Career? What Career? 91 Marriage or Career? 92 War: Transition to the LSE 96 Secret Goals 97 Going to LSE 98 After LSE 100 Going to Swansea 103 Moving into Medical Sociology 104 Public Service 105 On Being the First Woman Professor 106 Acknowledgment 107 Note 108 References 108 8 An Accidental Academic 109 Reference 122 9 An ‘Interesting’ Career in Higher Education 123 References 134 10 Luck, Hard Work and An Unplanned Career 136 11 The Road not Taken 145 Part Three Reflections on Current Careers 156 12 Health and Efficiency 157 13 From Rags to Riches to Rags Again 171 14 Always a Catholic? Guilt, Rebellion and ‘Trying A Little Harder For God’ 180 Only Fit for ‘Women’s Work’ 184 Discovering Higher Education and the Pull of Ideas 184 And so back to Teaching 185 From Teacher Education to Industrial Sociology and Women’s Studies 185 Addressing the Glass Ceiling 188 Management or Research? 188 Moving On 189 Concluding Remarks 190 References 190 15 The Accidental Manager 192 16 ‘You Know Where You Are With Numbers’ 204 Might be Cracked ... 213 References 220 Postscript 223 18 Postscript 224 The Themes of the Book: Opportunities and Obstacles 224 Higher Education as a ‘Negative Dowry’ for Women? 225 Higher Education as ‘A Room of One’s Own’? 228 Reference 230 Introduction / Miriam David, Diana Woodward -- International Perspectives -- Rewinding The Tape: Starting Anew / Berit As -- The Struggle For Balance: The Career Of A German University Professor / Gertrud Pfister -- Against The Tide: Career Paths Of Women Chief Academic Officers Of American Colleges And Universities / Karen Doyle Walton -- A Malady Of Leisure And Travel: The Autobiography Of A Scholar / Chryssi Inglessi -- Reflections On Past Careers -- A Lifetime Of Learning / Dorothy Wedderburn -- A Flying Start / Meg Stacey -- An Accidental Academic / Hilary Rose -- An 'interesting' Career In Higher Education / Dulcie Groves -- Luck, Hard Work And An Unplanned Career / Angela Crum Ewing -- The Road Not Taken / Mavis Ainsworth -- Reflections On Current Careers -- Health And Efficiency / Elaine Thomas -- From Rags To Riches To Rags Again / Dorothy Severin -- Always A Catholic? Guilt, Rebellion And 'trying A Little Harder For God' / Eileen Green -- The Accidental Manager / Dianne Willcocks -- 'you Know Where You Are With Numbers' / Maggie Deacon -- Women's Careers In Education: Theoretical And Practical Considerations Of How The Glass Ceiling Might Be Cracked / Myra Mcculloch -- Postscript / Miriam David, Diana Woodward. Edited By Miriam David And Diana Woodward. Includes Bibliographical References. Why is it that in many universities the number of women professors can literally be counted on the fingers of one hand while the number of men number in the hundreds? Why are women academics so relatively disadvantaged and men so firmly in control? In an attempt to find answers to these questions Negotiating the Glass Ceiling gathers together the unique personal reflections of 16 eminent women working in higher education across the world. These personal reflections document some of the changing patterns of women's lives in higher education since the war, a time of massive social change within education itself, as well as in women's lives outside higher education. They also illustrate that the changes that have occured have been hard won and not without consequences for the women involved This book gathers together the unique personal reflections of 16 eminent women working in higher education across the world, in an attempt to understand why female academics are so under-represented in todays universities.