[Equal] [sts2016gender] 6th STS Italia Conference - call for papers

[EqualOpportunity (SL)]

Dear all,

*** apologies for cross-posting ***

please find below the call for abstracts for the Special stream at the next STS Italian Conference<http://www.stsitalia.org/conferences/ocs/index.php/STSIC/STE>:

It's not all about numbers: Gendering processes in technologies and technological careers

to be held at the Dept. of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trento, November 24-26, 2016

Stream Convenors:
Annalisa Murgia, University of Trento, ITALY, Scientific Coordinator of the FP7 project GARCIA<http://garciaproject.eu>.
Barbara Poggio, University of Trento, ITALY, Vice-Rector for Equality and Diversity<http://www.unitn.it/en/ateneo/53111/equalitydiversity>

The under-representation of women at all levels of scientific and technological careers is a phenomenon closely connected to the lack of recognition of the relevance of gender in science and the ways in which it affects contents, methods and priorities. This situation produces a growing negative impact on the quality of the research and its policies, as well as on the use of scientific and technological results in economic and social terms.
Looking at the literature on gender and technological careers, particularly in the academic system, one of the most studied phenomena is the strong gender discrimination which still characterises them. Various metaphors have been used to describe it: from the ‘Matilda effect’ (Rossiter, 1995) – which emphasises the systematic undervaluation or denial of the contribution of women in scientific domains – to the image of the ‘leaky pipeline’ (Alper, 1993) – to illustrate the progressive reduction in their number along the trajectory of scientific careers, a trend which is exacerbated in times of scarce resources and employment instability.

However, the asymmetrical presence of women and men in professional careers is only one of the critical elements of the gender-technology relationship. In order to critically address this issue, we shall consider not only technological careers, but also technology itself. Drawing inspiration from Haraway’s work, the concept of technofeminism, introduced by Wajcman (2004), helps us to critically assess how technologies are shaped in ways which tend to exclude women and, at the same time, how technological careers, including academia, are shaped in numerically and symbolically male-dominated work environments.

This interdisciplinary stream invites theoretical and/or empirically informed papers that deepen understanding of gendering processes in technologies and technological careers. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

            • How can we reflect critically on the gender-technology relationship?
            • How are gender asymmetries constructed in scientific and technological careers?
            • How do the decreasing resources and the temporary character of funding affect gender differences in scientific and technological fields?
            • Which organisational strategies can promote a gender-sensitive culture in work environments?
            • How are technologies shaped in ways which tend to reproduce gender asymmetries?
            • How can feminist perspectives combine research and political practices in order to change socio-technical networks?

Abstracts of approximately 300 words are invited by May 30, 2016 with decisions on acceptance to be made within one month. All abstracts will be peer reviewed. New and young scholars with 'work in progress' papers are welcomed. Papers can be theoretical or theoretically informed empirical work.

To submit your proposal please send an e-mail - indicating the title of the chosen session - to:
- annalisa.murgia at unitn.it<mailto:annalisa.Murgia at unitn.it>
- barbara.poggio at unitn.it<mailto:barbara.poggio at unitn.it>
- conferences at stsitalia.org<mailto:conferences at stsitalia.org>

Abstracts should include: full contact information, including your name, department, institutional affiliation, mailing address, and e-mail address. State the title of the stream to which you are submitting your abstract.

Please circulate this announcement to colleagues who may be interested in this conference.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Yours sincerely,

Annalisa & Barbara

*************************************************************
Annalisa Murgia
Department of Sociology and Social Research
University of Trento, Italy
phone: +39 0461 281346
http://garciaproject.eu
http://www.unitn.it/en/rucola/18375/annalisa-murgia

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