Page 169 - Through the gate of the neoliberal academy • Herschberg

their practices) to actual collective practicing of committee members in real time situations. I show that gender practices and practicing gender are ubiquitous in the assessment of potential at the early stages of an academic career, making three contributions to the literature in this area.
First, the two-sided dynamic of gender practices and practicing gender provided important insight into the interrelation of practices and practicing (Martin, 2003). I show that gender practices tend to be quite abstract and often refer to stereotypical perceptions of an entire group of women or men (e.g., women or men researchers). When studying the practicing of gender, I showed how practices are enacted in real time situations regarding a single candidate. I observed how the gender practice that men are more competent candidates for early-career researcher positions than women is manifested in the unreflexive, directional and rapid practicing of gender. Men candidates are generally ascribed (star) potential more immediate and more unconditionally than women candidates in group settings like hiring committees.
Second, I show how committee members collectively constructed additional criteria for women candidates, thereby creating further inequality for women. For example, I show that committee members have a welcoming stance towards hiring more women in academia. One reason for this welcoming stance concerns the perceived need for women role models. However, I analysed in this dissertation that in actual hiring situations this can create an additional criterion for women candidates that can impair their position in the selection process. In one of my studies, a woman candidate was assessed (and disqualified) on whether or not she would be a good role model, which is a criterion that had not been raised for men candidates. As a result, women and men candidates do not play on a level playing field.
Third, I uncover in this dissertation how in the collective setting of hiring committees the role of power is crucial, particularly when studying the practicing of gender. Gender is typically practiced in a power context (Martin, 2006) but both practicing gender and power are hard to observe, as practicing tend to happen quickly and subtle. The study on practicing revealed subtleties and complexities of power and inequality that do not become visible when relying solely on interview accounts. In my study, the positional power of the various committee members had a substantive effect on how gender was practiced. Observing the manoeuvring of committee members with their own agendas, revealed how certain committee members could deploy their power, seeking ratification by other committee members for their preferred (men) candidates. Studying how gender is practiced in a group also showed how limited positional power can result in compliance in collective
GENERAL DISCUSSION 167
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