Research assessments based on journal rankings systematically marginalise knowledge from certain regions and subjects

Many research evaluation systems continue to take a narrow view of excellence, judging the value of work based on the journal in which it is published. Recent research by Diego Chavarro, Ismael Ràfols and colleagues shows how such systems underestimate and prove detrimental to the production of research relevant to important social, economic, and environmental issues. These systems also reflect the biases of journal citation databases which focus heavily on English-language research from the USA and north and western Europe. Moreover, topics covered by these databases often relate to the interests of industrial stakeholders rather than those of local communities. More inclusive research assessments are needed to overcome the ongoing marginalisation of some peoples, languages, and disciplines and promote engagement rather than elitism

Journal-based research assessments marginalise regions like Latin America and the issues most relevant to them

Many research evaluation systems continue to take a narrow view of excellence, judging the value of work based on the journal in which it is published. Recent research by Diego Chavarro, Ismael Ràfols, and colleagues shows how such systems underestimate and prove detrimental to the production of research on important social, economic, and environmental issues. These systems also reflect the biases of journal ..

Intersectionality in research, grant-making and human capital development: key contributions from a systematic literature review, interviews, policy and programme reviews

Evidence Review ReportGender inequality remains a challenge in the field of science, technology, and innovation (STI). While women are increasingly joining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational programmes, their representation decreases the further they proceed through the 'leaky' STI pipeline. The UNESCO Institute of Statistics indicates that while Sub-Saharan Africa has made significant gains in the number of female tertiary graduates, only 30% of researchers in the region are women (Huyer, 2019). Gender parity on the continent is particularly low in STI leadership, decision-making, and senior research positions (African Academy of Sciences, 2020). Adopting an intersectional framework is increasingly acknowledged as important in meaningfully addressing persisting gender and other social inequalities in knowledge production in STI. Science Granting Councils (SGCs) play a key role in shaping research agendas, methods and content. This project aimed to contribute a greater understanding of intersectionality as a framework that supports inclusive gender transformation, with a focus on the strategic role of SGCs in advancing equality. The project is nested in a larger initiative - the Science Granting Councils Initiative in SubSaharan Africa (SGCI) - aimed at strengthening the capacities of SGCs in Sub-Saharan Africa to support research and evidence-based policies that contribute to economic and social development.N/

Intersectionality in research, grant-making and human capital development: considerations for public funding agencies in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion

Integrated report prepared for the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in Sub-Saharan-AfricaGender inequality remains a challenge in the field of science, technology, and innovation (STI). While women are increasingly joining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational programmes, their representation decreases the further they proceed through the ???leaky??? STI pipeline. The UNESCO Institute of Statistics indicates that while Sub-Saharan Africa has made significant gains in the number of female tertiary graduates, only 30% of researchers in the region are women (Huyer, 2019). Gender parity on the continent is particularly low in STI leadership, decision-making, and senior research positions (African Academy of Sciences, 2020). Adopting an intersectional framework is increasingly acknowledged as important in meaningfully addressing persisting gender and other social inequalities in knowledge production in STI. Science Granting Councils (SGCs) play a key role in shaping research agendas, methods and content. This project aimed to contribute a greater understanding of intersectionality as a framework that supports inclusive gender transformation, with a focus on the strategic role of SGCs in advancing equality. The project is nested in a larger initiative ??? the Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI) ??? aimed at strengthening the capacities of SGCs in Sub-Saharan Africa to support research and evidence-based policies that contribute to economic and social development. Adopting a mixed-methods design, the project aimed to establish the extent to and the manner in which an intersectional framework is integrated throughout the grant-making, human capital development and research cycles. This report summarises key findings from a systematic review of research informed by an intersectional framework, individual interviews with subject specialists in intersectionality methodologies, and a desktop review of the integration of intersectionality into African SGCs??? policies and programmes. The report concludes with practical recommendations for African SGCs in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion through intersectional knowledge production and grant-making practices

The Intersection of Gender, Media, And Policy: A Qualitative Analysis on Thai Newspaper Coverage of Women in Agriculture

Women empowerment and gender equality have been found to be statistically significant and positive predictors of global agricultural development. Therefore, reducing gender disparities can encourage economic progress and growth in developing nations. As such, determining effective ways to stimulate social progress and women’s empowerment has emerged as a critical need. One strategy used to raise the public’s consciousness about gendered issues in Thailand has been through mass media. In response, this study aimed to (1) determine to what extent Thailand’s newspaper coverage focused on topics related to women and the agricultural industry; and (2) describe how women in agriculture have been portrayed in newspaper coverage since the introduction of Thailand 4.0’s policy in 2016. Using a qualitative content analysis of Thailand’s newspaper coverage of women in the agricultural sector, four themes emerged: (1) economic policy implications for Thailand’s agricultural system; (2) human rights; (3) women entrepreneurship and leadership; and (4) agricultural development. Therefore, this study concluded that newspaper coverage of women in agriculture was diverse and conflicting – a finding not previously reported. The findings also revealed that women in agriculture have been underrepresented in newspaper publications historically. Moving forward, we provided critical implications for how future research, theory, and practice can depict women in agriculture more positively in the newspaper media

The Ugly Side of America: Institutional Oppression and Race

This manuscript examines structural racism through a socio-historical context of institutional oppression and its effects on modern society. The epistemological framework of intersectionality is used to focus on the overlap of oppression, structural racism, and implicit bias evident in the stereotypes and perceptions of the African American male population in the United States. Four eras of socio-historical significance are addressed: 1. Foundations of Racial Oppression; 2. Racism: Reconstruction and Jim Crow; 3. Renewal: Civil Rights and Civil Disobedience; 3. Reckoning: Embedded Racism and the Criminal Justice System

TWINLATIN: Twinning European and Latin-American river basins for research enabling sustainable water resources management. Combined Report D3.1 Hydrological modelling report and D3.2 Evaluation report

Water use has almost tripled over the past 50 years and in some regions the water demand already exceeds supply (Vorosmarty et al., 2000). The world is facing a “global water crisis”; in many countries, current levels of water use are unsustainable, with systems vulnerable to collapse from even small changes in water availability. The need for a scientifically-based assessment of the potential impacts on water resources of future changes, as a basis for society to adapt to such changes, is strong for most parts of the world. Although the focus of such assessments has tended to be climate change, socio-economic changes can have as significant an impact on water availability across the four main use sectors i.e. domestic, agricultural, industrial (including energy) and environmental. Withdrawal and consumption of water is expected to continue to grow substantially over the next 20-50 years (Cosgrove & Rijsberman, 2002), and consequent changes in availability may drastically affect society and economies. One of the most needed improvements in Latin American river basin management is a higher level of detail in hydrological modelling and erosion risk assessment, as a basis for identification and analysis of mitigation actions, as well as for analysis of global change scenarios. Flow measurements are too costly to be realised at more than a few locations, which means that modelled data are required for the rest of the basin. Hence, TWINLATIN Work Package 3 “Hydrological modelling and extremes” was formulated to provide methods and tools to be used by other WPs, in particular WP6 on “Pollution pressure and impact analysis” and WP8 on “Change effects and vulnerability assessment”. With an emphasis on high and low flows and their impacts, WP3 was originally called “Hydrological modelling, flooding, erosion, water scarcity and water abstraction”. However, at the TWINLATIN kick-off meeting it was agreed that some of these issues resided more appropriately in WP6 and WP8, and so WP3 was renamed to focus on hydrological modelling and hydrological extremes. The specific objectives of WP3 as set out in the Description of Work are