'A Reflexive Self-assessment Approach to Integrating Gender into Research

15 Feb 2022

On 15 February, ISS21 hosted a seminar on integrating gender into research with Professor Carol Linehan (School of Applied Psychology & ISS21),  Dr Caitríona Ní Laoire (School of Applied Social Studies & ISS21) and Dr Christine Gaffney (ISS21).

It is increasingly being recognised that integrating gender equality into research ‘makes better science’ and contributes to enhanced research excellence. As a result, there is a growing imperative for research projects across all disciplines to engage with questions around how to embed gender and diversity perspectives in their research. However, if these questions are to be taken seriously, they raise fundamental challenges for existing research structures and prevailing norms around how research is done.

In this seminar, the presenters drew on their recent research, which sought to embed a gender perspective in a large and complex research project. They discussed the challenges and opportunities of the task and the value of taking a reflexive self-assessment approach to this work. In terms of practical considerations for other projects, the presenters noted the importance of early engagement on gender issues; embedding gender as part of tasks/deliverables/goals; including gender experts in projects; and acknowledging challenge and complexity.

For more on this story contact:

Dr Margaret Scanlon, ISS21 Research Coordinator (m.scanlon@ucc.ie)