Women in Academia

My dear friend at Cheese & Responsibility has posted a response to my response, well really to the article I blogged about on 10/5/05 "oh my gosh this is so cool," and I feel a need to post more about it b/cs the posting by Tree of Knowledge does a much better job of elaborating on the problem and how this proposed solution would/could/would not/ work.

Tree of Knowledge is right on with this idea:

"I mean, mothers have a tangible excuse - a child that depends on them and a culture that believes that mothers should be primary care givers. But doesn't the same problem exist for women who are not mothers and men, both fathers and not? Doesn't the rigors of academia break up marriages and turn relatively stable people into alcoholics? Isn't there this, often true, stereotype of professors being absent minded and out of touch with reality? Haven't we all been to department parties where no one has fun because all anyone has time for is their research? We're (I'm including non-tenure track profs and grad students in this) trained to believe that we are supposed to devote ourselves to our research for the rest of our lives, but why?"

I agree, and this new rule/idea is not going to change that. The Ivory Towers have long been associated with folk who don't know what 'real life' is like (or some who are perceived to not care), long hours, and the idea that you must sell your soul and anything else you've got in order to gain a seat at this table. We are trained to believe that research and publication is the end goal and that you sacrafice whatever you need to sacrafice in order to get there. I believe thats why some folks do get divorces, don't have kids (even if they once wanted), and don't know how to use a copy machine. *(see note below) In lots of ways academia does remove you from the 'real world'. After graduate school, where you've spent anywhere from 4-8 years working on a research project, if you are fortunate enough you will go into a tenure track job as an assistant professor. Once there it is your duty to balance the following: more than likely, a new move, new professors, new department (new orders to learn), new teaching responsibilityes for new courses you've not taught, and you have to start thinking in terms of your publication and service to the university and community. Thats quite a load. Now, figure that most folks are in their early 3os at least when they finish and you've got a host of other issues to put into the mix (partners, kids, aging parents, etc).

I don't know who academia was created for, but with the way things are going some things will need to change. I see this new idea of part-time tenue as a very small step, but hopefully one in the right direction.

Tree of Knowledge also writes:

"We should not have to decide between family and work. That is a choice that isn't even plausible. It pisses me off so much that women have been forced to make this decision for years and derided regardless of which choice they make. It pisses me off that men have never even been given the choice. How many men do you know who gave up work for kids? This is one reason why I knew I wanted to marry Husband; I suggested that he stay home and raise the kids while I worked, and he said ok."

Again, this is choice I've dreaded and its mainly because I actually thought I had to make a choice. In some ways you do, but in other ways I think we can try to control this. I know that for many women (in and outside of academia) there are times when things at work have to slip or slide by because of whats going on at home, but I don't see this as being neglectful to your work. Though some might try to argue that, but b/cs society has impressed upon us that the mother needs to care for the children many of us do this, and some of this do this just because there is no one else to help. Not every woman is fortunate enough to have a partner who will take some of the 'home front' responsibilities that are typically viewed as women's work. Like Tree of Knoweledge, I'm so fortunate that my husband supports my education, my work, and my childbearing choices.

As a mother-to-be and a PhD-to-be these are all issues that keep me up at night, really they do. I've had conversations with folks from all walks of life to get views, opinions, and advice, but what it all boils down to is that you have to learn to separate yourself from some of those demands imposed upon you by allthose outside forces ('academics, husbands, wives, publishers, moms, dads, uncles, grannys, or as my good friend lil'John says, "er-body").


*I have found that some professors are so into their research they forget about things like: how to use a copy machine to make one copy, how to say hello when someone speaks to you, and my all time favorite, how to call people by the CORRECT name.