Gender And Stem Understanding Segregation In Science Technology Engineering And Mathematics

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Gender and STEM: Understanding Segregation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics" that was published in Social Sciences

This volume features thirteen original chapters on the causes and consequences of gender segregation in scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics ("STEM") occupations and fields of study. false,Although women have made great strides in equalizing access to labor markets and higher education, many STEM fields-particularly in the physical sciences and engineering-remain strongholds of gender segregation in the United States and other reputably gender-progressive societies. Policymakers, business leaders and activists have launched countless initiatives to diversify access to lucrative, high status occupations and ameliorate labor shortages that diminish innovation and competitiveness.false,Contributors to this volume apply diverse theoretical lenses and methodological approaches to understand the individual, interactional, organizational, and cultural dynamics that drive this segregation in the United States. Results show that the gender composition of scientific and technical fields varies a great deal over time and across organizational contexts and socio-demographic groups defined by race, ethnicity, class, and sexuality. But despite this variability, STEM work and STEM workers are widely presumed to be naturally and inevitably masculine. Research presented here reveals how these stereotypes combine with cultural beliefs about natural and fundamental differences between men and women to produce gendered aspirations and reinforce inequalities in the US scientific and technical workforce.

Movement into academic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has been slow for women and minorities. Not only are women and minorities underrepresented in STEM careers, there is strong evidence that many academic departments are resistant to addressing the concerns that keep them from entering careers in these fields. In light of recent controversies surrounding these issues, this volume, examining reasons for the persistence of barriers that block the full participation and advancement of underrepresented groups in the sciences and addressing how academic departments and universities can remedy the situation, is particularly timely. As a whole, the volume shows positive examples of institutions and departments that have been transformed by the inclusion of women and recommends a set of best practices for continuing growth in positive directions.

Scientific and technological advances and innovations are critical to the economic performance of developed countries and the standard of living of the citizens. This book discusses the nature and size of the problem and shows why increasing the number of women and minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics industries is vital.

The transformation of women's lives over the past century is among the most significant and far-reaching of social and economic phenomena, affecting not only women but also their partners, children, and indeed nearly every person on the planet. In developed and developing countries alike, women are acquiring more education, marrying later, having fewer children, and spending a far greater amount of their adult lives in the labor force. Yet, because women remain the primary caregivers of children, issues such as work-life balance and the glass ceiling have given rise to critical policy discussions in the developed world. In developing countries, many women lack access to reproductive technology and are often relegated to jobs in the informal sector, where pay is variable and job security is weak. Considerable occupational segregation and stubborn gender pay gaps persist around the world. The Oxford Handbook of Women and the Economy is the first comprehensive collection of scholarly essays to address these issues using the powerful framework of economics. Each chapter, written by an acknowledged expert or team of experts, reviews the key trends, surveys the relevant economic theory, and summarizes and critiques the empirical research literature. By providing a clear-eyed view of what we know, what we do not know, and what the critical unanswered questions are, this Handbook provides an invaluable and wide-ranging examination of the many changes that have occurred in women's economic lives.

Encouraging the participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) remains as vital today as it was in the 1970s. ... hence, the sub-title: “A Never Ending Story.” This volume is about ongoing advocacy on behalf of the future workforce in fields that lie on the cutting edge of society’s future. Acknowledging that deeply embedded beliefs about social and academic entitlement take generations to overcome, the editors of this volume forge forward in the knowledge that these chapters will resonate with readers and that those in positions of access will learn more about how to provide opportunities for girls and women that propel them into STEM fields. This volume will give the reader insight into what works and what does not work for providing the message to girls and women that indeed STEM fields are for them in this second decade of the 21st century. Contributions to this volume will connect to readers at all levels of STEM education and workforce participation. Courses that address teaching and learning in STEM fields as well as courses in women’s studies and the sociology of education will be enhanced by accessing this volume. Further, students and scholars in STEM fields will identify with the success stories related in some of these chapters and find inspiration in the ways their own journeys are reflected by this volume.

This open access book explores what makes women decide to pursue a career in male-dominated fields such as information technology (IT). It reveals how women experience gendered stereotypes but also how they bypass, negotiate, and challenge such stereotypes, reconstructing gender-technology relations in the process. Using the example of Norway to illuminate this challenge in Western countries, the book includes a discussion of the “gender equality paradox”, where gender equality exists in parallel with gender segregation in fields such as IT. The discussion illustrates how the norm of gender equality in some cases hinders rather than promotes efforts to increase women’s participation in technology-related roles.