4. 1. Legal
framework
1.1. Current Spanish law on universities (Ley
Orgánica de Modificación de la Ley Orgánica
de Universidades, LOMLOU)
1.2. Spanish law on science
1.3. Seventh framework programme (FP7) of
the European Commission
1.4. Horizon 2020 programme
5. 1.1. LOMLOU (Law 7/2007)
Article 41. Promotion of research, scientific development and technological
innovation in universities.
• 1. Universities will carry out quality research and ensure effective
transfer of knowledge and technology, in order to contribute to the
advancement of knowledge and technological development,
enterprise innovation and competitiveness, improved quality of life for
citizens, economic and social progress and responsible, equitable
and sustainable development, and will promote and achieve
equality.
• 4. Researchers will be encouraged to develop their professional careers,
promoting a balanced presence of men and women in all fields.
6. 1.2. Spanish law on science (Law 14/2011)
Thirteenth additional provision. Incoporating the gender perspective
• 2. The Spanish Science and Technology Strategy and the State Plan for
Scientific and Technological Research will promote cross-disciplinary
gender mainstreaming in research and technology, in such a way that
the gender perspective is incorporated into all aspects of the process,
including the definition of scientific and technological research priorities,
research problems, theoretical and explanatory frameworks, methods,
data collection and interpretation, findings, technological applications
and developments, and proposals for future studies. They will also
promote gender and women's studies, as well as specific measures to
encourage and recognise the presence of women in research teams.
7. 1.3. Seventh framework programme (FP7)
of the European Commission
"Integration of the gender dimension and gender equality will be addressed
in all areas of research"
8. 1.4. Horizon 2020 programme
Some of the issues envisaged for the implementation of gender equality
throughout the research cycle include:
• Advisory committees: these must have a more or less balanced
composition and include at least one expert in gender equality and research.
• Work Programme 2014-2015: people who apply to participate in the
programme will be encouraged to promote equal opportunities between men
and women in their work, seeking a balanced presence in teams as well as
integration of the gender dimension, particularly if their results have a direct
impact on people.
• Forms: in grant applications, applicants should explain how an analysis of
the sex/gender dimension will be incorporated into the project, and detail
composition by sex of the teams.
• Evaluation: gender equality experts will be involved in the evaluation of
applications and execution of projects, to assess the aforementioned
aspects.
• Monitoring: the Commission will specifically monitor the cross-disciplinary
implementation of equality, using ad hoc indicators.
10. 2.1. Overgeneralisation
Generalising the results to the entire
population when only one sex has been
analysed.
e.g. The American Heart Association
(AHA) (2011) has updated its guidelines
for heart disease prevention in women.
Cardiovascular disease is no longer
considered a disease that only affects men.
Previously, women received less intensive
treatment for heart disease and fewer
diagnostic studies were performed.
11. 2.2. Gender insensitivity
• Being unaware that sex/gender is a socially relevant variable in research.
e.g. 18.3% of articles (Journal Citation Report, 2010) considered high
performance in women.
• Not taking into account the sex of all research participants (study
subjects, researchers, informants).
• Decontextualisation: given that the position of women and men is different,
researchers should be aware that a given situation can have different
meanings and implications for members of one or the other sex involved.
12. 2.3. Double standards
• Analysing, measuring or assessing identical behaviour and situations for
both sexes using different criteria.
e.g. Different conceptualisation of the same psychiatric condition in women
and men: diagnosis of hysteria referring only to women.
e.g. Political analyses that endow great importance to the external
appearance (clothing, age, looks) of female politicians, while barely
remarking on the appearance of male politicians.
13. 2.4. Androcentrism
• Presenting knowledge from the male perspective and ignoring the
experiences of women.
Since 2011, the regulations of some
countries have obliged automobile firms
to use female mannequins for their
crash tests, but it has not always been
so. For years, male mannequins were
used to measure the injuries an accident
could inflict on passengers, disregarding
the physical constitution of women, which
can substantially alter the consequences
of a collision.
14. 3. What is the
gender
perspective in
scientific
research?
3.1. Equal opportunities
3.2. Integration in all phases of research
16. 3.1. Equal opportunities
• The case of Jennifer and John. Men are rated more highly than women when
they apply for admission to university science departments. 127 applications were
sent to professors: Jennifer's application was sent to 63 of them and John's was
sent to 64. Jennifer was rated significantly worse (p<0.01) than John for the
three attributes that were assessed, and was also deemed worthy of a lower
salary (Corinne A. Moss-Racusin, et al., 2012: “Science faculty’s subtle gender
biases favor male students”, PNAS 109 (41): 16474-16479).
3.1.1. Selection and contracting
17. 3.1. Equal opportunities
3.1.2. Working conditions and culture
A work culture that:
• Fosters equal conditions at work
(wages, training, access to grants and
funding)
• Is aware of the different possibilities in
terms of geographical mobility
• Respects personal commitments or
differences in career structures
18. 3.2. Integration in all phases of research
1. (1a) Ideas phase: rethinking ideas
Hypothesis
1. (1b) Ideas phase: rethinking concepts and theoretical
frameworks
19. • Some questions to consider when rethinking research and technological
development priorities in relation to sex and gender:
• Who will benefit and who will not? Reflect on the possibly different
impact according to sex, identifying the characteristics that define the
groups of women and men that will and will not benefit.
• What gender norms or relations could be transformed or reinforced?
When the research approach is explicitly or implicitly guided by gender
norms, it will probably reinforce traditional gender stereotypes and
relations.
• What opportunities may be lost by not taking into account the
importance of the sex and gender? The scientific validity of results may
be compromised, certain social needs may be unanswered, market
opportunities may be lost.
1. (1a) Ideas phase: rethinking ideas
20. • Some questions to consider when rethinking concepts and theories in
relation to sex and gender:
• In the framework of theories and concepts used for research, are there
explicit or implicit assumptions about sex and/or gender? What are these
assumptions?
• Are these assumptions based on empirical evidence and are they
supported by research on sex and gender?
• If not, what questions about sex and gender are being overlooked, or
addressed from a stance of bias? How should these concepts and
theories be reformulated? What does this reformulation imply for
research design?
1. (1b) Ideas phase: rethinking concepts and theoretical
frameworks
21. 2. (2a) Proposal phase: formulating gender-sensitive
questions
Methodology design
3.2. Integration in all phases of research
2. (2b) Proposal phase: design of a gender-sensitive
project and methodology.
22. 2. (2a) Proposal phase: formulating gender-sensitive
questions
Some questions to consider when reformulating research questions in relation to
sex and gender:
• What is known about sex and/or gender in the corresponding area of research
or technology? What is not known, because sex and/or gender has not been
analysed?
• Are the research questions explicitly or implicitly based on assumptions about
sex and/or gender? Are these assumptions based on empirical evidence and
are they supported by research on sex and gender? If not, what questions
about sex and gender are being overlooked, or addressed from a stance of
bias?
• Has a relevant group of research subjects been omitted?
• What research questions would lead to a more robust research design?
23. 2. (2b) Proposal phase: design of a gender-sensitive
project and methodology.
Some questions to consider when rethinking norms and models of sex and
gender:
• Are these norms are current, or are they based on outdated data?
• Does the existing model differentiate between men and women?
• If a model makes no distinction according to sex, is this because it is based
on data about both sexes or because it only uses the male (or female) model
and is being used erroneously to refer generically to all human beings?
• If a distinction is made according to sex, how relevant is the variable of sex?
Have non-biological differences between men and women been considered,
such as the traditional division of labour and traditional gender roles?
• Besides considering sex-related differences, does it take into account
questions specific to women (such as pregnancy) or men (such as
susceptibility to prostate cancer)?
24. 3. (3a) Research phase: collecting gender-sensitive
data
3. (3b) Research phase: analysing gender-sensitive
data
Methodology design
3.2. Integration in all phases of research
25. 3. (3a) Research phase: collecting gender-sensitive
data
Gender assumptions in the relationship between the research team
and study subjects.
• Depending on their sex and the sex of the researcher, might
study subjects respond differently to the research?
• Knowledge about certain social groups may be relevant to the
investigation, but could be overlooked as a result of gender
stereotypes between the research team and the study subjects.
How can it be incorporated into the research?
• Depending on the research topic, it may be important to ensure
the participation of both sexes or to carry out specific analyses by
sex. Regardless, a rational must be given for either inclusion or
exclusion of one of the sexes.
26. 3. (3b) Research phase: analysing gender-sensitive
data
• In studies in which both sexes participate as research subjects, it is
necessary to analyse differences within each of the sexes and
present disaggregated data.
27. Gender sensitive presentation / dissemination of data.
• The collection and analysis of data specific to or separated by gender is
not sufficient if these are not included in the published results.
• Use impartial/inclusive language in terms of gender.
4. Dissemination phase
3.2. Integration in all phases of research
28. María José Rodríguez Jaume
mj.rodriguez@ua.es
UA Gender Policy Officer
Director of the Equality Unit
Notes de l'éditeur
Quizás debería cambiarse texto del ap. 3
Mirar si el título se deja este o LOMLOU
Mirar si el 1.1. es este título o sólo Ley de la Ciencia
