Empowerment vs. meritocracy discourses in Indonesian public universities: The case of female leaders

Abstract

This paper examines the tension between meritocracy and empowerment discourses in Indonesian public universities and its relationship with gender-related leadership representation. The recent emergence of five female rectors signals a change that allows women to undertake leadership roles. We argue that there are two contradictory discourses (i.e., empowerment and meritocracy), which are concurrently visible pertaining to university leadership. The discourse of empowerment promotes gender equity and women’s participation in decision making processes in universities in ways that highlight the historically progressive political agenda of empowerment in Indonesian society. In contrast, the discourse of meritocracy refers to achievement on the basis of individual merit, such as ability and talent. This contradiction is explored through interview data that illuminates the changing conditions of leadership representation in the Indonesian university context. This article makes three contributions to the literature. Firstly, it adds to an underresearched area in higher education in Indonesia. Secondly, it provides a different perspective and analysis of the relationship between gender and higher education by considering both local and international culture. Thirdly, the article offers an argument about the corrosive effect of meritocracy in any university, irrespective of geographical location and local culture.

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