Las investigadoras científicas (Análisis sociológico del campo científico desde la perspectiva de género)

Abstract

This paper shows the following theory knots, which have been evidenced by several practical analyses: 1. Invisibility of the androcentric nature of academic-scientific power, which has been revealed much later than other powers (compare with the androcentric nature of political power, which began to be questioned earlier), due to reasons including but not limited to a concealment effect brought about by the meritocratic system. 2. A criticism of the so-called «time effect» - about the inoperative time factor (mere course of time) in order to achieve gender parity at top academic levels and academic power in general. 3. A criticism of the «domestic aura» which standardizes women (both professional and non-professional) and subjects them to domesticity, whilst options and perspectives of professional women are extremely varied in relation to this issue. In any case, different women typologies should be built. 4. Efficiency of biographical analysis as a tool for gender study, an asset emphasized by its reflexivity. 5. The almost inevitable need to study power phenomena in order to pursue gender research. We believe that the «Gender & Power» binomy is unavoidable for gender sociology (and for Gender Studies in general), due to the fact that gender is a social aspect of social domination and inequality (and power, a sensu contrario) inside our social systems.