GRADUATE WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY: AN I-E-O MODEL TO INCREASE WOMEN FACULTY MEMBERS IN PHILOSOPHY

Elizabeth Brown, Kate Curley & Dylan Howser

HI ED 556

Overview

Framing the Problem Developing the Model The Model

Inputs Environment Outputs

Discussion Conclusion

Framing the Problem

WHY examine the problem? 21.9 % vs. 27% in STEM fields

(Division APAP, 2011)

WHY does it matter? Recent news Toxic climate

Sexual harassment discrimination

(Schuessler, 2013)

Building the Model

Literature research Similar fields are experiencing similar issues

Online research National associations and organizations Blogs, blogs, blogs

Individual interviews Penn State Graduate Students & Faculty

Members

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES

The I-E-O ModelIN

PU

TS Prior

education experienceInternal characteristicsFamily background & demographicsAdmission & institutional choice

EN

VIR

ON

ME

NTClassroom

ExperiencesStereotype Threat & Implicit BiasPerceived SupportSexual Harassment

OU

TPU

TS Ph.D. in

PhilosophyTenure-Track Position

Inputs

Prior education experience

Internal characteristics

Family background and demographics

Admission and institutional choice

Inputs: Internal Characteristics Schemas “woman” and “philosopher”

coalesce (Haslinger, 2008).

“I am not so tied to the field or the institution, but what it can help me do.” (D. Valentine, personal communication, October 30, 2013)

“Philosophy is the best venue to work on change and be a product of that change…I have defined myself by this.” (Anonymous graduate student, personal communication, November 1, 2013)

“I try to recreate the environment of St. John’s and have faith that things can be better.” (C. Griffin, personal communication, November 4, 2013)

Environment

Classroom experiences Sexual harassment Implicit bias & stereotype threat Perceived support External influences

Outcomes

Tenure-Track vs. Adjunct positions

Barriers to Tenure Research – areas of research and getting

published Teaching – forced courses and less respect

from students Service – committee membership and role

modeling

Who Comes First?

Students Largest leak in the pipeline Most research is on how to retain

undergraduates Possibility of producing more PhD’s than

jobs

Professors Breaking down barriers for women in

philosophy Laying foundations for future women

philosophers Trickle-down academia

Applicability to Other Student Communities

Inspired from models explaining underrepresented groups in STEM fields Recall the similar themes from last week’s

presentations

Easily adaptable to other areas where women are underrepresented or other underrepresented groups in philosophy and beyond Exercise caution in assuming similarities

between groups

How can you use this model in your work?

Practical Applications

Conclusion

Tide is turning for women in philosophy, but there is still a long way to go in order to achieve equity

Complex issues at each stage of the I-E-O model need to be addressed to create a reliable pipeline of women in the field While unique, many similarities to STEM disciplines

Our model helps synthesize the current scholarly literature, online discussions, and other movements in the field of philosophy and provides a foundation from which to move forward

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Questions & Comments