Why change works so slowly? Occupational choices of women in STEM between motivational strategies and societal gender backlash

S. Ihsen, Y. Jeanrenaud

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The amount of first year students in Germany in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields is rapidly increasing. In winter term 2015, 40% of all first-year students chose a STEM study programme, from whereas 70% were male and 30% female. Ongoing initiatives and motivation projects by industry and science running now for years seem to have measurable impacts, though not in favoured speed and not in favoured amount. This paper ought to bring some light on the relationship between the development of women's proportions in STEM and the occupational choices of women as well as looking at opposing trends: While the motivational activities seem to become successful, girls and young women are made insecure again in terms of their gender and professional roles by a gender backlash. This gender backlash is visible for instance in gendered toys, a refusal of research results of Gender Studies (in STEM and in general), a public debate about "the freedom of choice" for girls back into gender stereotyped job options, combined with well-known argumentations about their lack of mathematical skills and interest observable in Germany and all over Europe.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 45th SEFI Annual Conference 2017 - Education Excellence for Sustainability, SEFI 2017
EditorsJorge Bernardino, Joao Rocha, Jose Carlos Quadrado
PublisherEuropean Society for Engineering Education (SEFI)
Pages1508-1515
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)9789899887572
StatePublished - 2017
Event45th Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education, SEFI 2017 - Angra do Heroismo, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal
Duration: 18 Sep 201721 Sep 2017

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 45th SEFI Annual Conference 2017 - Education Excellence for Sustainability, SEFI 2017

Conference

Conference45th Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education, SEFI 2017
Country/TerritoryPortugal
CityAngra do Heroismo, Terceira Island, Azores
Period18/09/1721/09/17

Keywords

  • Gender backlash
  • Motivation projects
  • University-industry co-operation
  • Women in STEM programmes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Why change works so slowly? Occupational choices of women in STEM between motivational strategies and societal gender backlash'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this