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LSE, Gender and Economic History. Janet Hunter Economic History Department LSE. LSE. Commitment to gender equality at institutional and departmental level 2007/8 Undergraduates = 50% male:50% female Graduates = 46% male:54% female Women = 30% permanent full time academic staff
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LSE, Gender and Economic History Janet Hunter Economic History Department LSE
LSE • Commitment to gender equality at institutional and departmental level • 2007/8 • Undergraduates = 50% male:50% female • Graduates = 46% male:54% female • Women = 30% permanent full time academic staff • Average starting salaries of male and female employees very similar
Gendered Hierarchies • Women employees more likely to be fixed term, non-career track, part-time • Salary level disparities increase higher up the hierarchy (pension implications) • Average basic pay across salaried academic employees not strongly differentiated by gender • Statistically significant difference between women and men in number of increments awarded • Starting salaries at promotion gender-differentiated (women may have to achieve more at lower levels to be promoted)
Gendered Hierarchies – the Professoriate • In 2008 women = 21% all professors (inc. hourly paid/casual), and 18.4% full time professors • This figure is not dissimilar to the figures of 14-22% across top Ivy League colleges • Women professors lower paid on average than male counterparts • Undisclosed salaries above the disclosed professorial pay scale applying only to men • Women take longer to get to the professorial level and proportionately older than male professors
Economic History Department - Students • Undergraduates • Women = c.30-40% registered EH undergraduates, below School average • Graduates • Women = 32% applicants to taught degrees in 2007/8, and 34.5% of those holding offers • Under a quarter of applicants holding offers for the Research track degree were female • The proportion of female graduate students in EH is considerably lower than the School-wide figure • Figures similar to those of Economics Department, but lower than eg. Development Studies & International History
Economic History Department - Staff • Balanced at professorial level • Women = 33% all staff working in EH • Academics: • If fixed term research staff are excluded no women in EH below professorial level • The gender imbalance has worsened as the Department has expanded • All staff in EH would like to see more women faculty
Problem 1 – Gender Imbalance among Graduate Students • Possible reasons • Lack of understanding of nature of economic history at LSE? • Perception of degrees as ‘technical’ or econometric? • Failure to attract students from history backgrounds? • Absence of many courses on Britain? • Non-vocational?
Problem 2 – Gender Balance among Academic Staff • Possible reasons • Fewer women at graduate level is related to the existence of fewer female academics • International character of LSE, with higher international mobility of male academics? • Perceived characteristics of EH at LSE (eg. lack of diversity) deter applicants from non-social science/non-technical backgrounds? • Broad spectrum of geographical coverage and methodological range – area studies • Seniority of many lectureship applicants • Nature of appointments system at LSE
What should we do? • Danger of perceptions becoming actual situation • Gender imbalance at all levels produces a vicious circle • How to market the diversity of EH at LSE without diluting our existing strengths?