Theorizing Patriarchy Against a Backdrop of Workplace Sexism and Stress in UK Academia

Abstract

Our analysis investigates the distinct relationship between sexism and workplace stress as experienced by women academics in the UK higher education system. We argue that due to the insufficient literature on this issue there is a limited knowledge base of the harmful psychological effects of stress in the workplace upon women academics in the UK university sector. In applying the concept of “gender regime” through a feminist lens we explain how the patriarchal, neoliberal university is a site of sexist discrimination, producing psychosocial health hazards in the workplace resulting in stressful experiences unique to women academics. The methodology employed in the study was a combined feminist and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach using semi‐structured interviews to generate qualitative data. The sample included detailed interviews with seven women academics. Three themes were identified; exclusion , discrimination, and gendered divisions of labor as categories to illustrate how the gender regime manifests itself to cause stress in the workplace. Our data also suggested that the presence of men in leadership roles was associated with a higher frequency of sexist incidents compared to women‐led management teams. To challenge such discrimination and the consequential experiences of workplace stress for women academics, we argue for recommendations that go beyond the micro agentic level implementing transformative change at the meso institutional level. These proposals include positive action equality programs, equitable and transparent recruitment/promotion procedures, access to full participation in all forms of academic work, statutory equality training programs for senior leadership postholders, and effective support mechanisms for employees with caring responsibilities. Simultaneously, we contend that any analysis of organizational gender regimes within UK universities needs to be recognized as originating from the wider macro patriarchal structural context.