The Construction of Physics as a Quintessentially Masculine Subject: Young People's Perceptions of Gender Issues in Access to Physics.
The Construction of Physics as a Quintessentially Masculine Subject: Young People's Perceptions of Gender Issues in Access to Physics.
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DOI：
10.1007/s11199-016-0669-z
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发表时间：
2017
期刊：
影响因子：
3.8
通讯作者：
Yeomans L
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Francis B;Archer L;Moote J;DeWitt J;MacLeod E;Yeomans L
本文探讨了物理和工程访问的性别趋势的解释，报告的结果，从一个大规模的研究资助的英国经济和社会研究理事会和绘图主要是从132 15 - 16岁的青少年和他们的父母的采访数据。我们的研究和其他地方的调查结果显示，在完成义务教育后，预期的物理学习方面存在很大的性别差异。为了探索这些趋势背后的性别和物理学的建设，我们专注于定性访谈数据，应用福柯话语分析，调查性别叙事支撑青少年和他们的父母的表达。这一分析揭示了三个关键话语在工作上的主题，妇女的访问物理学：（a）机会平等，（B）持续的性别歧视和周围的物理学，和（c）物理学作为典型的男性。我们还确定了五个不同的叙述支持的话语物理作为男性。这些不同的话语和叙述被审问，并探讨其含义。我们的结论是，只有通过破坏普遍的结构，物理科学作为一个男性和"硬"域，我们将增加妇女在该部门的存在。与年轻人合作，分析和解构与性别和物理学有关的话语假设，以及进一步提高物理学的可访问性和扩大代表性的工作，可能是挑战物理学和男性气质之间这些长期关联的富有成效的方法。
The present article investigates explanations for gendered trends in Physics and Engineering access, reporting findings from a large-scale study funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council and drawing primarily on data from interviews with 132 15–16 year-old adolescents and their parents. Survey results in our study and elsewhere show strong gender disparities in anticipated pursuit of Physics after completion of compulsory education. In order to explore the constructions of gender and Physics underlying these trends, we focus on qualitative interview data, applying Foucaultian analysis of discourse to investigate gendered narratives underpinning adolescents’ and their parents’ articulations. This analysis reveals three key discourses at work on the topic of women’s access to Physics: (a) equality of opportunity, (b) continued gender discrimination in and around Physics, and (c) Physics as quintessentially masculine. We additionally identify five distinct narratives supporting the discourse of physics as masculine. These various discourses and narratives are interrogated, and their implications explored. We conclude that it is only by disrupting prevalent constructions of the Physical sciences as a masculine and “hard” domain will we increase the presence of women in the sector. Working with young people to analyse and deconstruct the discursive assumptions made in relation to gender and Physics, as well as further work to increase accessibility and broaden representation in Physics, may be fruitful ways to challenge these longstanding associations between Physics and masculinity.