Resistance and counter-resistance to gender equality policies in Spanish universities

  1. Castaño Collado, Cecilia 1
  2. Vázquez-Cupeiro, Susana 1
  1. 1 Universidad Complutense de Madrid
    info

    Universidad Complutense de Madrid

    Madrid, España

    ROR 02p0gd045

Revista:
Papers: revista de sociología

ISSN: 0210-2862 2013-9004

Año de publicación: 2023

Volumen: 108

Número: 2

Tipo: Artículo

DOI: 10.5565/REV/PAPERS.3105 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openAcceso abierto editor

Otras publicaciones en: Papers: revista de sociología

Resumen

La resistencia en las universidades es un fenómeno persistente. La igualdad de género fue prescrita hace más de una década en España, pero el problema sigue sin resolverse. Contribuyendo al feminismo institucional, este artículo identifica tanto las manifestaciones de resistencia destinadas a interferir en la implementación de iniciativas de igualdad de género en las universidades españolas como las respuestas estratégicas desplegadas por los agentes de igualdad de género para contrarrestar esas resistencias. Para ello, realizamos entrevistas en profundidad a las directoras de unidades de igualdad (EqUs) de seis universidades públicas de Madrid. A pesar del creciente apoyo a la igualdad de género, los resultados de la investigación confirman la existencia de una compleja red de resistencias. Las EqUs despliegan una amplia gama de estrategias para neutralizar la negativa a aceptar o cumplir las iniciativas de igualdad de género, pero estas se materializan principalmente, aunque no exclusivamente, en acciones de supervivencia. Argumentamos que, aunque limitada, la capacidad de agencia de estos organismos especializados no ha sido eliminada y podría usarse para implementar estrategias alternativas y más proactivas con el fin de lograr un cambio fundamental. En general, los hallazgos arrojan nuevos conocimientos sobre el progreso y la resistencia a las iniciativas de igualdad de género en las universidades.

Referencias bibliográficas

  • Acker, Joan (1990). “Hierarchies, Jobs, Bodies: A Theory of Gendered Organizations”. Gender and Society, 4(2), 139–158. https://doi.org/10.1177/089124390004002002
  • Agócs, Carol (1997). “Institutionalized Resistance to Organizational Change: Denial, Inaction and Repression”. Journal of Business Ethics, 16(9), 917–931. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017939404578
  • Ahrens, Petra (2018). “Indirect Opposition. Diffuse barriers to Gender Equality in the European Union”. In: Verloo, Mieke (ed.). Varieties of opposition to gender equality in Europe. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315625744-5
  • Alonso, Alba and Diz, Isabel (2022). “¿Nadando contra corriente? Resistencias a la promoción de la conciliación en las universidades españolas”. Revista Internacional de Sociología, 80 (2), e208. https://doi.org/10.3989/ris.2022.80.2.21.01
  • Bagilhole, Barbara (2002). “Academia and the Reproduction of Unequal Opportunities for Women”. Science Studies, 15 (1), 46–60. https://doi.org/10.23987/sts.55150
  • Ball, Stephen (1993). “What is Policy? Texts, Trajectories and Toolboxes”. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 13(2), 10–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/0159630930130203
  • Benschop, Yvonne and Verloo, Mieke (2006). “Sisyphus’ sisters: Can gender mainstreaming escape the genderedness of organizations?”. Journal of Gender Studies, 15(1), 19–33. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589230500486884
  • Castaño, Cecilia and Suárez, Olga (2017). “La implementación efectiva de las regulaciones de igualdad de género en las universidades españolas: las unidades de igualdad”, in García-Sainz, Cristina (Ed.). Unidades de Igualdad. Género y Universidad, UAM, Madrid, pp. 171–192
  • Castaño, Cecilia; Vázquez-Cupeiro, Susana and Martínez-Cantos, José Luis (2017). “Gendered management in Spanish universities: functional segregation among vice-rectors”. Gender and Education, 31(8), 966-985. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2017.1410109
  • Cerdá, María Rosa (2010). “Modelos de desarrollo de unidades de igualdad en la universidad pública”. In: Vázquez, Isabel (coord.). Investigaciones multidisciplinares en género. II Congreso Universitario Nacional “Investigación y Género”, 17-18 June. Sevilla: Universidad de Sevilla, Unidad para la Igualdad (pp. 233-247).
  • Chappell, Louise and Waylen, Georgina (2013). “Gender and the hidden life of institutions”. Public Administration 91(3), 599–615. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.2012.02104.x
  • Connell, Raewyn (2005). “Hegemonic masculinity: Rethinking the concept”. Gender & Society, 19(6), 829–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243205278639
  • Connell, Raewyn (2006). “The Experience of Gender Change in Public Sector Organizations”. Gender, Work and Organizations, 13(5), 435–452. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0432.2006.00316.x
  • De los Cobos, Francisco (2012). “Planes de Igualdad en las Universidades españolas. Análisis de contenido desde las ciencias sociales”. Barataria. Revista Castellano-Manchega de Ciencias Sociales, 14, 117–130. https://doi.org/10.20932/barataria.v0i14.106
  • de Villota, Paloma and Vázquez-Cupeiro, Susana (Coord.) (2016). “Presentación”. In: Monográfico: Des (Igualdad) de género en la Universidad: retos actuales y oportunidades futuras, Investigaciones Feministas, 7(2), 1-7.
  • Elizondo, Arantxa; Novo, Ainhoa and Silvestre, María (2010). Igualdad de mujeres y hombres en las universidades españolas. Madrid: Instituto de la Mujer.
  • European Institute for Gender Equality (2016). Gender Equality in Academia and Research. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
  • Fitzgerald, Tanya and Wilkinson, Jane (2010). Travelling towards a mirage? Gender, leadership, and higher education. Brisbane: Post Pressed.
  • Glazer, Judith (1997). “Affirmative Action and the Status of Women in the Academy”. In: Marshall, Catherine (ed.). Feminist Critical Policy Analysis II: A Perspective from Post-secondary Education. London: Falmer Press.
  • Gómez Sancho, José María and Pérez Esparrell, Carmen (2010). Los rankings internacionales de las instituciones de educación superior y las clasificaciones universitarias de España: visión panorámica y prospectiva de futuro. Working Paper 559/2010, Fundación de las Cajas de Ahorros. https://hdl.handle.net/10486/669000
  • Hearn, Jeff (2001). Men and Gender Equality: Resistance, Responsibilities and Reaching Out. Conference Men and Gender Equality, 15-16 March, Örebro. https://bit.ly/3H7eCGz
  • Krook, Mona and Mackay, Fiona (2012). Gender, politics and institutions. Towards a feminist institutionalism. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Lee-Gosselin, Hélène; Briere, Sophie and Hawo, Ann (2013). “Resistances to gender mainstreaming in organizations: toward a new approach”. Gender in Management, 28(8), 468–485. https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-10-2012-0081
  • Lombardo, Emanuela and Bustelo, María (2021). “Sexual and sexist harassment in Spanish universities: policy implementation and resistances against gender equality measures”. Journal of Gender Studies, 31(1), 8–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2021.1924643
  • Lombardo, Emanuela and Mergaert, Lut (2013). “Gender mainstreaming and resistance to gender training: a framework for studying implementation”. NORA - Nordic journal of feminist and gender research, 21(4), 296–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/08038740.2013.851115
  • LOMLOU. Organic Law 4/2007, of April 12, which modifies Organic Law 6/2001, of December 21, on Universities. BOE-A-2007-7786. https://www.boe.es/eli/es/lo/2007/04/12/4
  • Lukes, Steven (2005). Power: A Radical View. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Mackay, Fiona; Kenny, Meryl and Chappell, Louise (2010). “New institutionalism through a gender lens: Towards a feminist institutionalism”. International Political Science Review, 31(5), 573–588. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512110388788
  • Mergaert, Lut and Lombardo, Emanuela (2014). “Resistance to implementing gender mainstreaming in EU research policy”. In: Weiner, Elaine and Macrae, Heather (eds.). The persistent invisibility of gender in EU policy. European Integration online Papers (EIoP), Special Issue 1(18), article 3.
  • Müller, Ursula (2007). “Between Change and Resistance: Gender Structures and Gender Cultures in German Institutions of Higher Education”. In: Danowitz, Mary Ann (ed.). Women, Universities and Change: Gender Equality in the European Union and the U.S. London: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230603509_3
  • O’Connor, Carol (1993). “Managing resistance to change”. Management Development Review, 6(4), 25–29. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000000748
  • O’Connor, Pat (2020). “Why is it so difficult to reduce gender inequality in male dominated higher educational organizations? A feminist institutional perspective”. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 45(2), 207–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/03080188.2020.1737903
  • O’Connor, Pat and White, Kate (2021). “Power, Legitimating Discourses and Institutional Resistance to Gender Equality in Higher Education”. In O’Connor, Pat and White, Kate (eds.) Gender, Power and Higher Education in a Globalised World. London: Springer.
  • Pastor, Inma; Acosta, Alba; Torres, Teresa and Calvo, Marta (2020). “Los Planes de Igualdad en las universidades españolas. Situación actual y retos de futuro”. Educación XX1, 23(1), 147–172. https://doi.org/10.5944/educxx1.23873
  • Pastor, Inma; Serre, Núria and Pontón, Paloma (2014). Usefulness, difficulties, and risks in gender plans of European and Latin American Higher Education Institutions. 8th European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education, 3-5 September, Vienna.
  • Peterson, Helen; Carvalho, Teresa; Jordansson, Birgitta and Machado-Taylor, Lourdes (2021). “Institutionalised Resistance to Gender Equality Initiatives in Swedish and Portuguese Academia”. In: O’Connor, Pat and White, Kate (eds.) Gender, Power, and Higher Education in a Globalised World. London: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69687-0_2
  • Powell, Stina; Ah-King, Malin and Hussnénius, Anita (2018). “Are we to become a gender university? Facets of resistance to a gender equality project”. Gender, work, and organization, 25(2), 127–143. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12204
  • Salminen-Karlsson, Mina. (coord.) (2016). Handbook on Resistance to Gender Equality in Academia. Uppsala University: FESTA. https://bit.ly/3LNL2cB
  • Thomas, Robyn and Davies, Annette (2005). “Theorizing the Micro-politics of Resistance: New Public Management and Managerial Identities in the UK Public Services”. Organization Studies, 26(5), 683–706. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840605051821
  • Thornton, Margaret (1989). “Hegemonic masculinity and the academy”. International Journal of the Sociology of the Law, 17, 115–30.
  • Tildesley, Rebecca; Lombardo, Emanuela and Verge, Tània (2021). “Power struggles in the implementation of gender equality policies in universities: The politics of resistance and counter-resistance”. Politics & Gender 18(4), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743923X21000167
  • Vázquez-Cupeiro, Susana (2015). “Ciencia, estereotipos y género: una revisión de los marcos explicativos/ Science, stereotypes and gender: a review of the explanatory frameworks”. Convergencia 22 (68), 177–202. https://doi.org/10.29101/crcs.v0i68.2957
  • Vázquez-Cupeiro, Susana (2022). “Women’s networking in Spanish academia: a ‘catch-all’ strategy or strategic sisterhood?”. Critical Studies in Education 63(4), 485–500. https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2021.1911820
  • Vázquez-Cupeiro, Susana and Elston, Mary Ann (2006). “Gender and academic career trajectories in Spain: From gendered passion to consecration in a sistema endogámico?”. Employee Relations 28(6), 588–603. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450610704515
  • Verge, Tània (2021). “Resistencia a las políticas de igualdad y contra-resistencia feminista: un análisis discursivo del ámbito universitario”. Discurso & Sociedad, 1 (3), 542–568.
  • Verge, Tània and Lombardo, Emanuela (2021). “The Contentious Politics of Policy Failure: The Case of Corporate Board Gender Quotas in Spain”. Public Policy and Administration 36(2), 232–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/0952076719852407
  • Verge, Tània; Ferrer-Fons, Mariona and González, María (2018). “Resistance to mainstreaming gender into the higher education curriculum”. European Journal of Women’s Studies, 25(1), 86–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350506816688237
  • Verloo, Mieke (2018). “Understanding the Dynamics of Opposition to Gender-Equality Change: Lessons from And for Social Complexity Theory”. In: Verloo, Mieke (ed.). Varieties of opposition to gender equality in Europe. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315625744
  • Waylen, Georgina (2014). “Informal Institutions, Institutional Change, and Gender Equality”. Political Research Quarterly, 67(1), 212–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/1065912913510360
  • Wroblenski, Angela (2012). Rectors as change agents for gender equality. Requirements and challenges in autonomous universities. 7th European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education, 29-31 August, Bergen. https://goo.gl/KNdMCE