Does Gender Matter for Academic Promotion: Evidence from a Randomized Natural Experiment

Max Weber Multidisciplinary Research Workshop

San Domenico di Fiesole, 2 February 2011

Women have historically been under-represented in academia. Moreover, whereas the number of women undertaking PhD studies has increased steadily, this has not been matched by a corresponding increase at higher academic positions.

In order to provide insights into this phenomenon and analyse the importance of gender quotas in selection committees, Natalia Zinovyeva and Manuel Bagues presented their study 'Does Gender Matter for Academic Promotion: Evidence from a Randomized Natural Experiment ' on the selection process of Associate an Full Professors in Spain in 2002-2006.

The discussion revolved around the differences between procedural and outcome-related quotas and on whether academia represents an exception to other fields, where similar quotas are widely accepted (please see the minutes of the debate ).