Challenges for women scientists in a context of vulnerability: co-responsibility and academic productivity

Abstract

Introduction. Despite these adverse moments that place human life at high risk caused by the COVID-19 disease, scientists must continue to generate knowledge and fulfill multiple tasks to keep the demands of the so-called academic productivity against the tide. Objectives. This is text focuses on identifying how personal factors are articulated with those institutional in favor - or not - of the permanence of women in science and how much these elements are representative of the challenges that female scientists in Mexican universities are facing, in this context of sanitary insecurity. Methodology. Family-work co-responsibility and academic productivity are the two theoretical categories, and virtual ethnography the useful method for recovering expressions from women identified as attendees in an online academic event. Results and Discussion. The findings indicate that one of the main personal factors is the exercise of motherhood, and care and domestic work; and two that institutional factors vary according to the area of knowledge, although a university culture of compliance with productivity prevails. Conclusion. In any situation, it seems that for now women scientists in this study will have to settle for producing slowly and with belatedly.