Why are women opting out of academic careers in higher education in Ghana? Implication for policy and practice
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Higher Education Research & Development
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
School
School of Business and Law
RAS ID
43980
Funders
Edith Cowan University
Abstract
This article is grounded on an exploratory inquiry to explain the low rates of female academics in Ghana’s higher education sector and its implication for higher education policy and practice. Though our article shows the continued presence of institutional barriers, the evidence suggests that these are strongly fortified by dispositional (women’s choices), and situational (cultural) barriers largely instigated by societal norms and social pressures. The evidence in this article suggests that earlier literature has taken too narrow a view of the nature of barriers to women’s career advancement in the higher education sector in the particular context of Ghana. The traditional gender norms are the main barrier to women pursuing academic careers, both because they influence what other people think a woman can do, or should choose to do, and because women have in many cases internalised these gender norms and share them. Our article highlights key implications for higher education policy towards female employment participation.
DOI
10.1080/07294360.2022.2048636
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Ayentimi, D. T., & Abadi, H. A. (2023). Why are women opting out of academic careers in higher education in Ghana? Implication for policy and practice. Higher Education Research & Development, 42(1), 18-32.
https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2022.2048636