Papers by Kanchana Bulumulle
Abstract
The discourse surrounding female academics, with their comparatively slow academic progr... more Abstract
The discourse surrounding female academics, with their comparatively slow academic progression records, reveals a range of issues arising from gender inequality. This has, predominantly been ratified through traditional feminist perspectives of gender that center upon women and their experience of disadvantage; a focus that leaves the experiences and positioning of male academics largely unattended and unanalyzed.This paper therefore focuses whether male privilege acts to disadvantage the positions of academic women and interrogates role model configurations where this gendered relationality is evident; in pre-career experiences located in family. It explores how these experiences and practices influence gender relational outcomes for male and female academics.Research approach is qualitative and the data was collected from Sri Lankanand Australian universities.A multitude of parental and inter-familial influences, and social background factors significantly shape academics’ entry and career aspirations. These social factorsof motivationinclude class privilege, positive family support, role modeling and relatively greater opportunity available to male academics through their family backgrounds interwoven with gendered social practices. Females reported being restricted significantly due to gender ideologies than due to family values or support in this regard.
Paper presented at the 14th National Convention on Women on 3rd December 2014 of the Center for Women's Research, Colombo Sri Lanka
Gender subtleties of academic micro politics: an exploration of the Sri Lankan academy
Researc... more Gender subtleties of academic micro politics: an exploration of the Sri Lankan academy
Research evidence demonstrate women’s disadvantaged position in higher education in academic ranks (Morley, 2005), positions of authority held and academic promotion (Probert, 2005). Further within the discourse of disadvantage, studies focus on practices of gendered micro politics in everyday academic life that act as significant drawbacks to women’s advancement particularly within the conventional higher education system. These are practices of repression that include both open (overt: direct physical, verbal or direct) gendered practices of elimination from opportunities of academic privilege in everyday academic life, as well as more formal university policies which are overtly gendered. The covert forms of repression on the other hand are the subtle, less obvious socio cultural practices and ideology that act to undermine women’s academic advancement more generally.
Hence, the current research considers the experience of gendered micro politics within the Sri Lankan academia. It particularly attempts to determine its role and relevance within the Sri Lankan University system.
The methodology is qualitative and ethnographic. The sample consists of male and female academics from selected conventional universities in Sri Lanka. The data pertaining to these universities has been collected using the life history method collected by way of in-depth interviewing. The paper presents an analysis of the relative academic progression of male and female academics and the relevance of gendered micro politics in their stories of academic advancement. The findings indicate that within the conventional system, repressive subtleties of gendered micro politics do exist and act to suppress female voice in everyday academic life and appointment into higher decision making levels, while more informal cultural norms of dress codes and gendered norms of social mobility prevent some women’s research achievement.
Abstract
‘Without doing any harm, I was a source for various rumors’
: Exploring gendered micr... more Abstract
‘Without doing any harm, I was a source for various rumors’
: Exploring gendered micro-politics in the academy
There have been great efforts in gender and feminist research to understand the non-tangible subtle forms of gendered politics within the academy that constructs advantage/disadvantage relationality among academics. This constitutes a significant aspect of work relations between academic males and females as revealed in a large volume of literature (Wilson et al., 2010, Obrien, 2011). What become clear in these reports are the active, overt as well as the informal, covert intangible and subtle forms of resistance and discrimination on the part of the male academics against females. These impact heavily upon the disadvantaged position of the females, and constitute an area of strong, clear and evident privileging of the male in the academy.
Within the present research there is an attempt to interrogate how micro politics manifest within the academe in Sri Lanka and Australia in a gendered sense with special focus on male resistance. The research is conducted using 37 in depth academic life-histories of male and female academics in research universities in Australia and Sri Lanka that are analysed using Foucauldian discourse analysis.
The findings revealed that male resistance and micro politics figured in a few different ways. These include gendered remarks made towards female academics that devalue their academic excellence, the tendency to undermine publicly outspoken women, control of more proactive and qualified academic women with masculinised management power, male bias in recruitment and selection and some normative and cultural practices used to resist women’s advancement intentionally or unintentionally. The study also noted significantly that micro politics within the academy is not limited to gender but it also manifest along all gender, ethnic, class as well as discipline lines within the academy.
Abstract In most distance learning institutions, face to face contact sessions form a component o... more Abstract In most distance learning institutions, face to face contact sessions form a component of the student support services provided to learners. This study focuses on student expectations of classroom sessions conducted by five different departments at the Open University of ...
Abstract
University statistics reveal that women are well-represented in higher educati... more Abstract
University statistics reveal that women are well-represented in higher education (UGC Statistics Handbook 2001). It is noted that most women are enrolled in the Arts oriented disciplines while lowest percentages of women are enrolled in technical courses such as engineering, computer and IT studies. At the decision-making levels in Universities, women’s representation is much lower than that of men.
The objective of this paper is to address the issue of initiatives taken to improving access to higher education concentrating especially on the two affirmative actions of 1) District quota 2)
Mahapola scholarships, and to assess to what extent these interventions have contributed towards bringing about Gender Equity in Higher Education in the research site University. Access here is defined not merely as gaining admission, but as opportunity to activel y participate in all areas of university education. Data was collected using qualitative methods such as interviews and observations. Documented data was also analysed. In-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of 21, including students, policy makers and staff members. Observations of five classrooms and of three faculty Board meetings were conducted .The findings revealed that even though District Quotas and Mahapola Scholarships had
facilitated the entry and retention of the women students, especially from the rural and under privileged socio-economic backgrounds; they had not given women substantial advantage in
gaining access to non-traditional, more prestigious courses of study. On the other hand women also concentrate on gaining excellence in achievement as Epstein et al (1998) referred to as
feminization of learning. Data also revealed that women students were often reluctant to cross over the stipulated gender boundaries due to fear of stigmatization as non-conformist. This
attitude of the women students have lead to the exclusion of women from most other areas of achievement other than academic, that is, politics, decision making and other social activities of the University life even at higher levels.
Women's Studies …, Jan 1, 2006
Drafts by Kanchana Bulumulle
Conference Presentations by Kanchana Bulumulle
“Gendered opportunity: A pre-academic career dynamic in the academic life of Sri Lankan and Australian academics” , 2018
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Papers by Kanchana Bulumulle
The discourse surrounding female academics, with their comparatively slow academic progression records, reveals a range of issues arising from gender inequality. This has, predominantly been ratified through traditional feminist perspectives of gender that center upon women and their experience of disadvantage; a focus that leaves the experiences and positioning of male academics largely unattended and unanalyzed.This paper therefore focuses whether male privilege acts to disadvantage the positions of academic women and interrogates role model configurations where this gendered relationality is evident; in pre-career experiences located in family. It explores how these experiences and practices influence gender relational outcomes for male and female academics.Research approach is qualitative and the data was collected from Sri Lankanand Australian universities.A multitude of parental and inter-familial influences, and social background factors significantly shape academics’ entry and career aspirations. These social factorsof motivationinclude class privilege, positive family support, role modeling and relatively greater opportunity available to male academics through their family backgrounds interwoven with gendered social practices. Females reported being restricted significantly due to gender ideologies than due to family values or support in this regard.
Research evidence demonstrate women’s disadvantaged position in higher education in academic ranks (Morley, 2005), positions of authority held and academic promotion (Probert, 2005). Further within the discourse of disadvantage, studies focus on practices of gendered micro politics in everyday academic life that act as significant drawbacks to women’s advancement particularly within the conventional higher education system. These are practices of repression that include both open (overt: direct physical, verbal or direct) gendered practices of elimination from opportunities of academic privilege in everyday academic life, as well as more formal university policies which are overtly gendered. The covert forms of repression on the other hand are the subtle, less obvious socio cultural practices and ideology that act to undermine women’s academic advancement more generally.
Hence, the current research considers the experience of gendered micro politics within the Sri Lankan academia. It particularly attempts to determine its role and relevance within the Sri Lankan University system.
The methodology is qualitative and ethnographic. The sample consists of male and female academics from selected conventional universities in Sri Lanka. The data pertaining to these universities has been collected using the life history method collected by way of in-depth interviewing. The paper presents an analysis of the relative academic progression of male and female academics and the relevance of gendered micro politics in their stories of academic advancement. The findings indicate that within the conventional system, repressive subtleties of gendered micro politics do exist and act to suppress female voice in everyday academic life and appointment into higher decision making levels, while more informal cultural norms of dress codes and gendered norms of social mobility prevent some women’s research achievement.
‘Without doing any harm, I was a source for various rumors’
: Exploring gendered micro-politics in the academy
There have been great efforts in gender and feminist research to understand the non-tangible subtle forms of gendered politics within the academy that constructs advantage/disadvantage relationality among academics. This constitutes a significant aspect of work relations between academic males and females as revealed in a large volume of literature (Wilson et al., 2010, Obrien, 2011). What become clear in these reports are the active, overt as well as the informal, covert intangible and subtle forms of resistance and discrimination on the part of the male academics against females. These impact heavily upon the disadvantaged position of the females, and constitute an area of strong, clear and evident privileging of the male in the academy.
Within the present research there is an attempt to interrogate how micro politics manifest within the academe in Sri Lanka and Australia in a gendered sense with special focus on male resistance. The research is conducted using 37 in depth academic life-histories of male and female academics in research universities in Australia and Sri Lanka that are analysed using Foucauldian discourse analysis.
The findings revealed that male resistance and micro politics figured in a few different ways. These include gendered remarks made towards female academics that devalue their academic excellence, the tendency to undermine publicly outspoken women, control of more proactive and qualified academic women with masculinised management power, male bias in recruitment and selection and some normative and cultural practices used to resist women’s advancement intentionally or unintentionally. The study also noted significantly that micro politics within the academy is not limited to gender but it also manifest along all gender, ethnic, class as well as discipline lines within the academy.
University statistics reveal that women are well-represented in higher education (UGC Statistics Handbook 2001). It is noted that most women are enrolled in the Arts oriented disciplines while lowest percentages of women are enrolled in technical courses such as engineering, computer and IT studies. At the decision-making levels in Universities, women’s representation is much lower than that of men.
The objective of this paper is to address the issue of initiatives taken to improving access to higher education concentrating especially on the two affirmative actions of 1) District quota 2)
Mahapola scholarships, and to assess to what extent these interventions have contributed towards bringing about Gender Equity in Higher Education in the research site University. Access here is defined not merely as gaining admission, but as opportunity to activel y participate in all areas of university education. Data was collected using qualitative methods such as interviews and observations. Documented data was also analysed. In-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of 21, including students, policy makers and staff members. Observations of five classrooms and of three faculty Board meetings were conducted .The findings revealed that even though District Quotas and Mahapola Scholarships had
facilitated the entry and retention of the women students, especially from the rural and under privileged socio-economic backgrounds; they had not given women substantial advantage in
gaining access to non-traditional, more prestigious courses of study. On the other hand women also concentrate on gaining excellence in achievement as Epstein et al (1998) referred to as
feminization of learning. Data also revealed that women students were often reluctant to cross over the stipulated gender boundaries due to fear of stigmatization as non-conformist. This
attitude of the women students have lead to the exclusion of women from most other areas of achievement other than academic, that is, politics, decision making and other social activities of the University life even at higher levels.
Drafts by Kanchana Bulumulle
Conference Presentations by Kanchana Bulumulle
The discourse surrounding female academics, with their comparatively slow academic progression records, reveals a range of issues arising from gender inequality. This has, predominantly been ratified through traditional feminist perspectives of gender that center upon women and their experience of disadvantage; a focus that leaves the experiences and positioning of male academics largely unattended and unanalyzed.This paper therefore focuses whether male privilege acts to disadvantage the positions of academic women and interrogates role model configurations where this gendered relationality is evident; in pre-career experiences located in family. It explores how these experiences and practices influence gender relational outcomes for male and female academics.Research approach is qualitative and the data was collected from Sri Lankanand Australian universities.A multitude of parental and inter-familial influences, and social background factors significantly shape academics’ entry and career aspirations. These social factorsof motivationinclude class privilege, positive family support, role modeling and relatively greater opportunity available to male academics through their family backgrounds interwoven with gendered social practices. Females reported being restricted significantly due to gender ideologies than due to family values or support in this regard.
Research evidence demonstrate women’s disadvantaged position in higher education in academic ranks (Morley, 2005), positions of authority held and academic promotion (Probert, 2005). Further within the discourse of disadvantage, studies focus on practices of gendered micro politics in everyday academic life that act as significant drawbacks to women’s advancement particularly within the conventional higher education system. These are practices of repression that include both open (overt: direct physical, verbal or direct) gendered practices of elimination from opportunities of academic privilege in everyday academic life, as well as more formal university policies which are overtly gendered. The covert forms of repression on the other hand are the subtle, less obvious socio cultural practices and ideology that act to undermine women’s academic advancement more generally.
Hence, the current research considers the experience of gendered micro politics within the Sri Lankan academia. It particularly attempts to determine its role and relevance within the Sri Lankan University system.
The methodology is qualitative and ethnographic. The sample consists of male and female academics from selected conventional universities in Sri Lanka. The data pertaining to these universities has been collected using the life history method collected by way of in-depth interviewing. The paper presents an analysis of the relative academic progression of male and female academics and the relevance of gendered micro politics in their stories of academic advancement. The findings indicate that within the conventional system, repressive subtleties of gendered micro politics do exist and act to suppress female voice in everyday academic life and appointment into higher decision making levels, while more informal cultural norms of dress codes and gendered norms of social mobility prevent some women’s research achievement.
‘Without doing any harm, I was a source for various rumors’
: Exploring gendered micro-politics in the academy
There have been great efforts in gender and feminist research to understand the non-tangible subtle forms of gendered politics within the academy that constructs advantage/disadvantage relationality among academics. This constitutes a significant aspect of work relations between academic males and females as revealed in a large volume of literature (Wilson et al., 2010, Obrien, 2011). What become clear in these reports are the active, overt as well as the informal, covert intangible and subtle forms of resistance and discrimination on the part of the male academics against females. These impact heavily upon the disadvantaged position of the females, and constitute an area of strong, clear and evident privileging of the male in the academy.
Within the present research there is an attempt to interrogate how micro politics manifest within the academe in Sri Lanka and Australia in a gendered sense with special focus on male resistance. The research is conducted using 37 in depth academic life-histories of male and female academics in research universities in Australia and Sri Lanka that are analysed using Foucauldian discourse analysis.
The findings revealed that male resistance and micro politics figured in a few different ways. These include gendered remarks made towards female academics that devalue their academic excellence, the tendency to undermine publicly outspoken women, control of more proactive and qualified academic women with masculinised management power, male bias in recruitment and selection and some normative and cultural practices used to resist women’s advancement intentionally or unintentionally. The study also noted significantly that micro politics within the academy is not limited to gender but it also manifest along all gender, ethnic, class as well as discipline lines within the academy.
University statistics reveal that women are well-represented in higher education (UGC Statistics Handbook 2001). It is noted that most women are enrolled in the Arts oriented disciplines while lowest percentages of women are enrolled in technical courses such as engineering, computer and IT studies. At the decision-making levels in Universities, women’s representation is much lower than that of men.
The objective of this paper is to address the issue of initiatives taken to improving access to higher education concentrating especially on the two affirmative actions of 1) District quota 2)
Mahapola scholarships, and to assess to what extent these interventions have contributed towards bringing about Gender Equity in Higher Education in the research site University. Access here is defined not merely as gaining admission, but as opportunity to activel y participate in all areas of university education. Data was collected using qualitative methods such as interviews and observations. Documented data was also analysed. In-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of 21, including students, policy makers and staff members. Observations of five classrooms and of three faculty Board meetings were conducted .The findings revealed that even though District Quotas and Mahapola Scholarships had
facilitated the entry and retention of the women students, especially from the rural and under privileged socio-economic backgrounds; they had not given women substantial advantage in
gaining access to non-traditional, more prestigious courses of study. On the other hand women also concentrate on gaining excellence in achievement as Epstein et al (1998) referred to as
feminization of learning. Data also revealed that women students were often reluctant to cross over the stipulated gender boundaries due to fear of stigmatization as non-conformist. This
attitude of the women students have lead to the exclusion of women from most other areas of achievement other than academic, that is, politics, decision making and other social activities of the University life even at higher levels.