Gender and career trajectory: The case of part-time faculty

Abstract

This paper reports on Canadian research which addresses two questions: (1) what role does gender play in determining occupancy of part-time academic positions? and (2) is gender related to the behaviour, attitudes and experiences of those who hold such positions? We argue that a combination of factors—values internalised in the course of socialisation, domestic responsibilities and institutional reward structures based on the male life cycle—negatively affects the career patterns of academic women. Females are more likely than males to be steered into part-time positions. Once there, they are less likely than males to make the transition to full-time positions, even though there are more female ‘involuntary˚s part-timers. The findings show that work behaviours and attitudes are not directly related to gender; rather, these variables are more immediately affected by whether the part-time status is held voluntarily or involuntarily, and by the size of income earned outside the university. Nevertheless, gender remains a critical factor since women are more likely than men to become, and to remain, part-time academics.

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