Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6773
Title: The long journey towards a PhD : exploring the hurdles encountered by male and female academics with young children reading for a doctoral degree
Authors: Tabone, Vania
Keywords: Doctoral students -- Malta
Sex differences
Social learning
Issue Date: 2015
Abstract: The 21st Century has seen significant changes that have enabled women to make progress on many fronts. Women have also progressed steadily in education surpassing men at the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees level. However women are still outbalanced by men at the doctoral degree level. This qualitative study investigates the discrepancy between male and female PhD graduates at the University of Malta. Ten semi-structured interviews with five female and five male PhD students who were all parents with young children, were carried out in order to shed more light on the main causes of this phenomenon. The study looks at consequences that arise from the different roles adopted by women and men in relation to house work and childcare responsibilities, amongst other things and it builds on Ann Oakley’s Domestic Division of Labour theory (1974). The study also looks at how gender discrepancies in PhD holders can affect the world of work. The study revealed that the female participants reading for a PhD shouldered a larger share of domestic work than the male participants in the same situation. Childcare responsibilities were also largely absorbed by women rather than by men. The men in question mainly involved themselves in taking the children to school and play-related activities. The study revealed that all participants were going through stressful episodes. Women however, appeared to be experiencing higher levels of stress whilst juggling a full-time job with a part-time PhD studies and other family-related duties. Childcare proved to be the biggest hurdle to the female participants. Overall the participants suggested that the reason behind the gender imbalance in PhD holders was also mainly attributed to childrearing. Most of the participants argued that this gender discrepancy is also reflected in the smaller number of women on corporate boards, whose perspectives are essential, because they are different than those brought by men. A number of recommendations were proposed in order to try and encourage more women in enrolling for doctoral degrees.
Description: EXECUTIVE M.B.A.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/6773
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - FacEma - 2015

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