Women in science: Analysis of the conflict between motherhood and scientific career

Ženske v znanosti so od druge polovice 20. stoletja na poti aktivnega vključevanja v primarno moško dominantno polje. Kljub večjemu deležu žensk v višjih izobraževalnih institucijah v Sloveniji v zadnjih desetletjih, pa ženske večinoma še vedno zasedajo manj ugledne in manj plačane položaje. Na karierni poti se znanstvenice v današnji družbi srečujejo z ovirami in izzivi, ki izvirajo delno iz tradicionalnega pogleda na žensko vlogo v družbi in iz ponotranjenja norm in pričakovanj, ki se udejanjajo skozi habitus. V pričujočem delu pobližje preučujem, kako materinstvo vpliva na znanstveno kariero žensk. Zanimajo me načini soočanja z izzivi žensk v znanstvenem polju, ki je še vedno androcentrično, in s hkratno željo po izpolnjevanju materinske vloge, ki je v današnji družbi še vedno pogosto obravnavana kot primarna vloga ženske. Dotaknem se neenakosti spolov v znanstvenih krogih, habitusa (Bourdieu) in nezavedne realizacije spolnih norm. Tu izhajam iz teze, da se družbena realnost konstituira s hkratnim udejstvovanjem in utelešenjem norm in pričakovanj. Skozi življenjske zgodbe, ki jih pripovedujejo znanstvenice, ugotavljam, da se v današnji družbi ženske v znanosti zavedajo svojega položaja, kljub temu pa poti in soočanja z izzivi ostajajo različne in izzivajo refleksije družbenih pričakovanj, ki vlogo ženske postavljajo hkrati v polja materinstva in kariernega življenja.Since the second half of the 20th century, women in science have been on the path of active inclusion in the primarily male-dominated field. Despite the higher percentage of women in higher educational institutions in Slovenia in recent decades, women still occupy mostly less prominent and lower paid positions. On their career path, women scientists in today\u27s society face obstacles and challenges that stem in part from the traditional view of women\u27s role in society and from the internalization of norms and expectations materialized through habitus. In this paper, I examine more closely how motherhood affects women\u27s academic careers. I am particularly interested in how women deal with the challenges in the scientific field, which is still androcentric, and at the same time the desire to fulfil the role of motherhood, which is still often seen as the primary role of women. I address gender inequality in the field of science, and explain it with Bourdieu’s concept of habitus and the unconscious realisation of gender norms. I start from the thesis that social reality is constituted by the simultaneous, repetitive action and embodiment of norms and expectations. Through the conversations with Slovenian women in academia, I was interested in their experiences and perspectives. Through the stories told, I find that women in science are aware of their position in today\u27s society, yet the paths and challenges remain different and provoke a reflection on the social expectations that women have in the areas of motherhood and career