Attitudes toward Diversity, Objectivity and Meritocracy in Science (ADOMiS): Multiple barriers to academic excellence
This project investigates the retrospective and planned careers of researchers at the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) institutes (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität, Technische Universität and Charité) by conducting a survey among doctoral students, mid-level faculty and professors. In addition to their careers and a focus on mental health and burnout, attitudes towards diversity, objectivity and meritocracy in science (ADOMiS) are recorded among researchers. These attitudes form the normative framework in which unequal career development and prospective career planning of underrepresented and marginalized faculty are embedded. Experiences of discrimination and attitudes of marginalized researchers themselves (e.g. internalized stigmatization, negative self-image) are considered as psychological mechanisms. The contextual nature of social inequality and the justice mandate of intersectional research are central to this. The complexity of social positioning is addressed by the participatory development of German-language survey instruments through expert interviews. The aim of this research project is to create an empirically robust basis for long-term institutional change toward inclusivity at universities.
Here you find the link to our project on the Genderblog from June 6, 2024.
Team
Prof. Dr. Mirjam Fischer - Project Lead is sociologist with PhD and works on research areas about inequalities of sexual and gender diversity in social networks, family relationships, and the labor market. She currently holds a visiting professorship for Gender Studies at the ZtG and is a research associate at the Institute for Empirical-Analytical Research at the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main.
Dr. Esto Mader - Postdoc obtained a PhD in social science and researches and teaches on topics such as gender relations in the labor market and academia, queer, trans*, inter*, and non-binary studies, anti-discrimination and intersectionality, as well as science criticism.
Lea Luttenberger – Doctoral Candidate studied psychology in Konstanz and is doing her doctorate on the topic of belonging. She is currently developing instruments for surveying social positioning through a participatory process, advocating a critical view of the objectivity claim of quantitative research.
Selin Akgöz – Student Assistant studied political science in Hamburg and Istanbul and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in "Gender, Intersectionality, and Politics" at the Free University of Berlin. Research focuses include materialistic and queer-feminist theories, colonial social relations, and intersectional methods in social sciences.
Celine Vallender – Student Assistant is studying for a Master's in Psychology with a focus on Clinical Psychology at the University of Potsdam and has found a second focus in Gender Studies since her bachelor's degree. Research focuses include feminist research ethics & science criticism, critical psychology, neurodiversity, as well as materialistic & intersectional queer-feminism.
For more info go to our project website.
