Gender inequalities in highly qualified professions: a social psychological analysis

Research in social and political psychology contributes towards understanding the persistence of job market gender segregation prevailing in recent decades, the consequences for those involved and their reactions when having to cope with gender inequality. Within the framework of the literature on shared ideologies that justify and legitimize discrimination against women, this article focuses on Portugal and analyses the particular case of women in two highly qualified professions traditionally carried out by men – politics and medicine. Drawing on the results of quantitative and qualitative studies, our analytical approach demonstrates how while a majority of participants show awareness of the existence of gender inequality in these markedly masculine professions, meritocratic individualism and personal attributions to discrimination are the recurring explanations rather than any gender-based account. These results allow us to highlight the relevance of gender-based analysis as an ideology and furthermore to argue that ignoring this perspective not only diminishes individual responsibility for social change but also perpetuates gender asymmetries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Gender dynamics in elementary school teaching: the advantages of men

This article presents a study that identifies the gender dynamics prevailing in a specific context of tokenism – elementary school teaching – in which the members of an otherwise socially dominant group are proportionally scarce – men. The results contradict Kanter’s (1977) theory by showing that male elementary school teachers do not experience the tokenism dynamics. In line with Williams’ gender perspective and Amâncio’s gender symbolic asymmetry, the article finds that although men constitute a small minority in elementary education, they do not lose the social advantages they generally have: on the contrary, they seem rather to gain several privileges. Indeed, the results show strong links between the tokenism dynamics and gender asymmetry, putting the token men at an advantage. Thus, tokenism seems to be limited to maintaining the gender social order.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Gender equality and modernity in Portugal. An analysis on the obstacles to gender equality in highly qualified professions

In this review article, we argue that the transformations related to the modernisation of Portuguese society triggered by the implementation of democracy did not fully accommodate gender equality. In particular, when we consider the areas where the most progress has been made in keeping with a broadly shared urge for modernisation, education and science; whereas women have contributed to boosting the Portuguese population’s level of education, thus inverting the worst legacy of the dictatorship and developing scientific research, gender inequalities are still visible in highly qualified professions. Reviewing the results of studies from different professions, science, medicine and engineering, our analysis illustrates several factors that hinder not only the recognition of women’s competences and merit at work but also their career opportunities. Some of these factors are rooted in the type of gender ideology that was central to the propaganda of the dictatorship, thereby establishing continuity with the previous regime that seems particularly difficult to break in the absence of women’s voices to raise awareness on gender equality.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Grupo de estudo: graffiti, sociedade e universidade

Anais do 35º Seminário de Extensão Universitária da Região Sul - Área temática: CulturaA Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR) se destaca por ser uma das únicas instituições de ensino superior no país com ênfase na área tecnológica. O Campus de Londrina, relativamente novo, possui atualmente sete cursos de graduação e cinco cursos de mestrado, contando com aproximadamente dois mil estudantes e duzentos e cinquenta servidores. Neste tempo, vivenciamos o impacto promovido pela recente aprovação da lei de cotas (no 12.711/2012), a qual permitiu que grupos sociais, até então alijados das universidades públicas, conseguissem, finalmente, adentrá-la. Neste contexto, se insere o Projeto de Extensão “Grupo de Estudo: Graffiti, Sociedade e Universidade” com o objetivo de realizar, mediante estudo e desenvolvimento do graffiti, em oficinas teórica e práticas, um espaço de sociabilidade entre as comunidades universitária e externa à UTFPR, valorizando a arte, cultura, diversidade, tolerância, criatividade e a capacidade de expressão. O Projeto, realizado em dois ciclos, contou com 30 participantes. Concluído, constatamos a promoção de uma intervenção nos espaços universitário e comunitário, aproximando os participantes com temas e elementos da arte e da cultura do graffiti, que até então não eram experimentados, e contribuindo para tornar o Campus Londrina um espaço mais democrático, respeitoso da pluralidade e acolhedo

Effect of light intensity and CO2 concentration on growth and the acquisition of in vivo characteristics during acclimatization of grapevine regenerated in vitro>

This study reports the effects of light intensity and CO2 concentration during the acclimatization of in vitro plantlets of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Touriga Nacional) on growth, chlorophyll and soluble carbohydrate contents, stomatal index and regulation of water loss. After in vitro phases at 45 µmol m-2 s-1 PFD, plantlets were transferred directly from in vitro to ex vitro acclimatization at different irradiation intensities (150 and 300 µmol m-2 s-1) and CO2 concentrations (350 and 700 µl l-1). Growth, especially total biomass, was closer associated with light than with CO2. Ex vitro leaves, expanded at high light and high CO2, developed fully autotrophic characteristics, mainly with regard to specific leaf area, chlorophyll a/b ratio and down-regulation of sucrose accumulation. In all treatments stomatal indices of leaves were lower than those of in vitro leaves although regulation of water loss was reduced at high CO2.

Gender and politics: the relevance of gender on judgements about the merit of candidates and the fairness of quotas

Drawing on the conceptualization of meritocracy as an illusion, we argue that perceptions of merit and fairness of sex quotas in politics are influenced by gender ideology, specifically gender symbolical asymmetry, which equates men with individuals and the universal reference of 'person', and women with a sexed category. A total of 311 Portuguese participants read one of eight scenarios manipulating the sex and political competence of two candidates for an electoral list where only one would be selected. According to the experimental condition, either the female or the male candidate was presented as more competent or both candidates were presented as equally competent. In the control condition no such information was provided. Participants rated the merit of the selected candidate and the fairness of quotas. Results show that men take mostly only the candidates’ competence information into consideration. Reflecting gender symbolic asymmetry women were also influenced by the fact that the selected candidate was male or female. Results are discussed in the light of the gender symbolic asymmetry model

Numbers do not tell the whole story: gender and medicine in Portugal

Despite a progressive increase in the number of women in medicine, gender inequalities remain. This article presents a study analyzing the gender dynamics of tokenism in the medical field in Portugal, through the experiences of male specialists in female areas and female specialists in male areas and through their strategies for coping with such situations. We conducted individual, semi-structured interviews with nine female doctors and eight male doctors aged between 32 and 62 years old. Results show the links between tokenism dynamics and gender asymmetry in medicine, putting female tokens at a disadvantage in relation to male tokens. Token positions occasionally produce gender arrangements but, all things considered, do not transform female and male positions either in the medical field or in the private sphere. We conclude that tokenism contributes to maintaining the gender social order.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Gestão democrática na educação superior para a diferenciação e acessibilidade curricular

Democratic Management in Higher Education, in addition to the management of human, financial, technological and material resources, provides for the interrelation of pedagogical management, access to curriculum, teaching action, results, spaces, conducts and cultural interactions. However, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have traditionally tended to subdivide and fragment their actions, distancing themselves from the perspective of accessibility, which encourages the cooperative interrelation of concrete and achievable inclusive elements and practices. Thus, the present research aimed to identify possibilities of democratic management practices in the perspective of accessibility in an HEI, based on the involvement of managers, teachers and students with and without disabilities. The results indicated that, initiatives for (de)construction on conceptions of disability and professional formation, raised the academic community to identify and question various barriers present in the academic context, basing the planning of actions that foster positive changes in this scenario. La gestión democrática en la educación superior, además de la gestión de recursos humanos, financieros, tecnológicos y materiales, proporciona la interrelación de la gestión pedagógica, el acceso al plan de estudios, la acción docente, los resultados, los espacios, las conductas y las interacciones culturales. Sin embargo, las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) han tendido tradicionalmente a subdividir y fragmentar sus acciones, distanciarse de la perspectiva de accesibilidad, lo que fomenta la interrelación cooperativa de elementos y prácticas inclusivos concretos y alcanzables. Por lo tanto, la presente investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar las posibilidades de las prácticas de gestión democrática en la perspectiva de accesibilidad en una IES, basada en la participación de gerentes, maestros y estudiantes con y sin discapacidad. Los resultados indicaron que, las iniciativas para la (des)construcción sobre las concepciones de la discapacidad y la capacitación profesional, plantearon a la comunidad académica para identificar y cuestionar diversas barreras presentes en el contexto académico, basando la planificación de acciones que fomentan cambios positivos en este escenario.A Gestão Democrática na Educação Superior, para além da gestão de recursos humanos, financeiros, tecnológicos e materiais, prevê a interrelação da gestão pedagógica, do acesso ao currículo, da ação docente, dos resultados, dos espaços, das condutas e interações culturais. Contudo, as Instituições da Educação Superior (IES), tradicionalmente, tendem a subdividirem e a fragmentarem suas ações, distanciando-se da perspectiva da acessibilidade, a qual incita a interrelação cooperativa de elementos e práticas inclusivas concretas e alcançáveis. Assim, a presente pesquisa objetivou identificar possibilidades de práticas de gestão democrática na perspectiva da acessibilidade em uma IES, a partir do envolvimento de gestores, docentes e estudantes com e sem deficiência. Os resultados indicaram que, iniciativas para (des)construção sobre concepções de deficiência e de formação profissional, suscitaram a comunidade acadêmica a identificar e a questionar sobre diversas barreiras presentes no contexto acadêmico, baseando o planejamento de ações que fomentassem mudanças positivas nesse cenário

Políticas de ações afirmativas, pessoas com deficiência e o reconhecimento das identidades e diferenças no ensino superior brasileiro

The juridical and social recognition of differences and identities in the field of affirmative action policies aimed to promoting the access of people with disabilities to Brazilian Higher Education is an emerging in the national scenario. Thus, it is understood the need of discussions and theoretical, conceptual and juridical deepening that touches on the problematic. In this sense, the present research focused on the analysis of documents and studies on the subject in the spheres of political sciences, education, philosophy, sociology and cultural studies. As result, it weaved a national and international historical contextualization crossed by movements that culminated in the democratization of the access at the Higher Education, tied by problematizations about the material equality of rights, recognition of the difference and the plurality of identities, affirmative action policies, quota system and allusions to the possible interests and mechanisms of state regulations that govern in this process. It is pointed out that affirmative action policies, even though they are recognized as important, do not seem sufficient for the access and permanence of people with disabilities in Brazilian higher education, once the university culture must be willing re-signified itself in this process, building opportunities in which differences and plurality of identities are recognized. El reconocimiento jurídico y social de las diferencias e identidades en el ámbito de las políticas de acciones afirmativas dirigidas a la promoción del acceso de las personas con discapacidad a la Educación Superior brasileña es un tema emergente en el escenario nacional. Siendo así, se comprende la necesidad de discusiones y profundidades teóricas, conceptuales y jurídicas que tangencian la problemática. En este sentido, la presente investigación vislumbró el análisis de documentos y estudios sobre la temática en las esferas de las ciencias políticas, de la educación, de la filosofía, de la sociología y de los estudios culturales. Se teje una contextualización histórica nacional e internacional impregnada por movimientos que culminaron en la democratización del acceso en la Educación Superior, tangencializada por problematizaciones sobre la igualdad material de derechos, reconocimiento de la diferencia y de la pluralidad de identidades, políticas de acciones afirmativas, sistema de vacantes y alusiones a posibles intereses y mecanismos de regulación de Estado en este proceso. Se indica que las políticas de acciones afirmativas, aunque sean reconocidamente importantes, parecen no ser suficientes para el acceso y permanencia de las personas con discapacidad en la Educación Superior brasileña, una vez que la cultura universitaria necesita estar dispuesta a resignificarse en ese proceso, construyendo oportunidades en que se reconozca las diferencias y la pluralidad de identidades.O reconhecimento jurídico e social das diferenças e identidades no domínio das políticas de ações afirmativas voltadas à promoção do acesso das pessoas com deficiência ao Ensino Superior brasileiro é um tema emergente no cenário nacional. Sendo assim, compreende-se a necessidade de discussões e aprofundamentos teóricos, conceituais e jurídicos que tangenciam a problemática. Nesse sentido, a presente pesquisa vislumbrou a análise de documentos e estudos sobre a temática nas esferas das ciências políticas, da educação, da filosofia, da sociologia e dos estudos culturais. Tece-se, então, uma contextualização histórica nacional e internacional perpassada por movimentos que culminaram na democratização do acesso no Ensino Superior, por problematizações sobre igualdade material de direitos, reconhecimento da diferença, pluralidade de identidades, políticas de ações afirmativas, sistema de reserva de vagas e alusões a possíveis interesses e mecanismos de regulação de Estado nesse processo. Indica-se que as políticas de ações afirmativas, ainda que sejam reconhecidamente importantes, parecem não ser suficientes para o acesso e permanência das pessoas com deficiência no Ensino Superior brasileiro, uma vez que a cultura universitária precisa estar disposta a ressignificar-se nesse processo, construindo oportunidades em que se reconheça as diferenças e a pluralidade de identidades