2025/02/17 by Azagra Caro, Joaquín
#Academic art #Academic engagement #Artistic practices #Barriers in academia #Gender inequality #Knowledge transfer #Science communication #Women researchers
paper · doi:10.20350/digitalcsic/17090
This mixed-methods study examines the barriers women researchers face when engaging in artistic practices and science communication through art, with a focus on the roles of conservatism and family responsibilities. Women remain underrepresented in these fields, largely due to structural and cultural barriers within academia. These barriers are exacerbated by conservative ideologies that reinforce traditional gender roles and by the disproportionate family responsibilities placed on women. Qualitative insights from an expert workshop illuminate the lived experiences of women navigating these challenges, highlighting how visibility, institutional biases, and gendered expectations shape their engagement in creative academic activities. Survey data from 6,276 active Spanish researchers complement these insights with statistical evidence, showing that women researchers are significantly less likely to engage in artistic practices or science communication through art than their male counterparts. Additionally, conservatism emerges as a significant negative moderating factor in these relationships, with women who are more conservative being even less likely to participate in these creative academic activities. Furthermore, family responsibilities, measured by the number of children, amplify the negative effect of conservatism on women artistic researchers, creating additional obstacles to their participation in science communication through art. The findings, informed by both statistical analysis and first-hand accounts, highlight the compounded challenges women face in conservative environments, underscoring the need for institutional and policy interventions to foster greater inclusivity and support for women in creative academic roles