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From Science, April 20, 2001, Volume 292, p. 416.
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Women Academics Propose Steps to Equity
Tokyo- The campaign has begun. On 30 March, 35 Japanese women
scientists met here to draw up a list of obstacles they face in
obtaining grants and plot a lobbying effort to create a better
working environment. But initial reaction suggests that some of those
barriers - while they pale in comparison to more serious forms of
discrimination - are rooted in the country's culture or its economic
woes.
"Women scientists [in Japan] face a mountain of troubles," says
Mariko Kato, an astrophysicist at Keio University's Hiyoshi campus in
Yokohama and one of the conference organizers. "We have to start with
those problems that have easily identifiable solutions."
As is true elsewhere, women hold a disproportionately small share of
senior faculty positions in Japan's universities (Science, 2
February, p. 817). Although participants suspect that discrimination
and harassment play a major role in keeping them from achieving
equity, they also point to a slew of seemingly innocuous policies
that, in practice, put them at a disadvantage in competing for grants.
One such policy is automatic termination of grant funding if the
recipient goes on leave for more than 6 months. It clashes with the
rule allowing women at national universities, and some private
universities, a full year of leave after childbirth. The policy
forces women returning from maternity leave to reassemble their labs
and restart their research careers, say symposium participants, who
also complained about a rule that restricts most grants for new
investigators to those age 37 or younger. With more women wanting to
resume their research careers after starting a family, they say, a
ceiling based on years in the field rather than age would be more
equitable.
An even bigger problem may be a rise in the number of part-time and
nonpermanent university faculty and staff positions at private
nonprofit institutes, a trend fueled by the sagging economy. "No one
ever expected that so many researchers would be stuck in temporary
positions," said Michiyo Nakane, a science historian now working as a
part-time lecturer at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. Although the
squeeze on tenured positions applies to both men and women, men are
more likely to be appointed to permanent posts when they are offered.
Another source of irritation for women and confusion for reviewers is
a rule requiring grant applicants to use the name entered in Japan's
family registry. By law, married couples must register under one
name, and most choose the husband's name. Although many women still
use their family name on the job, some faculty members have been
pressured by their superiors to use their registered name.
Gamely defending the government's current policies was Kenji Sakuma,
director of planning in the Scientific Research Aid Division of the
Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, Sports, and Culture
(Monbukagakusho), which is the primary source of grants for
researchers. Sakuma brought good news on some issues, including he
fact that grant applicants will soon be able to choose which name
they prefer to use. He also said that the ministry would like to find
a way to make grants compatible with child care duties. But those
rays of light were more than overshadowed by his defense of the
status quo on other topics.
Grants need to be terminated if researchers are on leave for extended
periods, he explained. "The intent of research grants is to support
world-class, leading-edge research," said Sakuma, adding that a hot
idea can grow cold if put on hold for a year. And extending grants to
nonpermanent employees, who are typically on 1-year contracts and
often lack laboratory space, "would be very difficult."
The symposium participants took heart from what they see as a growing
awareness of the issue. Hiroko Hara, a cultural anthropologist at the
University of the Air in Chiba, noted that the Association of
National Universities and the Science Council of Japan, the country's
largest grouping of researchers, have recently issued statements in
support of more women professors and researchers. "There is a lot of
power behind these requests," she said.
Some noted that the meeting itself was a sign of progress. "A decade
ago we were just trying to get women into research. Now we're getting
to the point of addressing specific problems [that hold women back],"
said Mitsuko Asakura, a professor of labor law at Tokyo Metropolitan
University. Participants hope that, over time, such incremental
changes in the grants process may ultimately achieve their goal of
parity.
-Dennis Normile
*************************************************
--
Jerry P.Becker
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901-4610 USA
Phone: (618) 453-4241 [O]
(618) 457-8903 [H]
Fax: (618) 453-4244
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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