The gendered academy: women academics as agents for change

This paper explores the experiences of women academics who have undertaken research on gender in their own organisations. In particular those who have undertaken research with the motive to upset the systematic gender order. Our preliminary analysis of five interviews with female academics, at a range of stages in their careers, has highlighted three key concerns: first that gender research is still largely seen as women’s work within the academy, second that the relation between female academic’s gender research and their identity as academics and as professionals remains an uncomfortable one and third that their objective of effecting change to the gender order in their institutions remains elusive.