In the Scheme. Italian Academic Women between Teaching Duties and Research

The academic labor is divided between researching, teaching and fulfilling administrative tasks. After the Gelmini reform, research has gain a relevant weight for career advancement. According to the literature, women are more inclined to take on teaching and administrative tasks, due to a gender scheme which considers them as more suited to these tasks. They are less likely to reach top positions and achieve them at a slower pace. In this paper we explore the role of teaching tasks in the trajectories of a group of Italian female academics, investigating the paths of adaptation/resistance to the new rules of competition. Through fifteen qualitative interviews it emerges teaching is an anchoring element: Our interviewees perceive the direct relationship with students as indispensable to the achievement of professional satisfaction, or they consider the investment in this area as a potential gateway to an academic career. Some have experienced pressing demands for fulfilling both teaching and administrative tasks.