“Maybe we‘ve become such tomboys that all behave the same”: Discourses and social forces in the culture of male-dominated academic science

Abstract

This study explores the dominant discourse
within the culture of computing,
electric and computer engineering, mathematics
and physics at the University of
Iceland. These fields are to this day male
dominated. Much academic debate and
research have focused on possible reasons
behind the continuing under-representation
of women in these fields. Educational
institutions around the world have initiated
programs and interventions aimed
at bringing more women into the science
departments. The emphasis is primarily
on the idea of equal opportunities and attributing
the problem to characteristics of
women, such as lack of skills, interest and
experience. These efforts have proven ineffective
in increasing the number of women
within the fields. They have moreover
been criticized for focusing too narrowly
on the choices of individual women.
Theory and method
More recent work has underlined that
in order to understand the nature of the
problem we need to take into account the
social and environmental factors at play,
for example, institutional factors and the
masculine culture surrounding the fields
and dominant discourses. This paper discusses
findings of an MA study conducted
at the University of Iceland. The aim of the
study was to map the social forces, discourses
and power relations found within
the physical sciences and technology faculties
at the University of Iceland. The study
design was qualitative, rooted in Dorothy
Smith´s institutional ethnography. It was
comprised of twelve interviews with ten
female students in the above-mentioned
fields. The main objective of institutional
ethnography is to map the complex of relations
that organize our everyday lives, the
underlying idea being that our everyday
worlds are organized by institutionalised
social relations not wholly visible to us,
that our activities and choices in our lives
are co-ordinated with what people, unknown
to us, are doing elsewhere at different
times. This study explored the dominating
discourses and gendered power relations
within the faculties of the physical
and computer sciences at the University
of Iceland that shape the lives of students,
their choice of field and attitudes towards
equality.
Results
In order to be socially accepted the women
in physical and computer sciences needed
to adapt to masculine ideals and put
up with attitudes of arrogance and crude
humour. Attitudes towards the issue of
gender equality reflect an individualistic
approach and suspiciousness towards active
measures to promote gender equality.
They are viewed not only as unnecessary
but also unjust towards men. These ruling
relations affect students’ daily lives and
their choice of field, and they contribute to
an atmosphere that is experienced as distasteful
by many women. This may be discouraging
and a hindrance for those who
do not identify with the dominant masculine
stereotypes.
Discussion
Emphasis on individual choice, personal
preferences and interest have been used
to explain the low percentage of women
in the male-dominated fields. This type
of explanation ignores social forces that
influence our mindset and actions; hence,
the negative influence of cultural factors
in explaining women’s underrepresentation
continue to be invisible and ignored.
The study has a practical and a theoretical
value. It contributes to our understanding
of the gendered social mechanisms that
reproduce gender bias in the natural sciences.