Contributions to the analysis of the feminisation of historically masculinised careers. Undoing gender prejudices

Abstract

An increasing women choose careers traditionally developed and pursued by men. Gender gaps become narrower in professions such as engineering, where stereotypes are rejected to open up unprecedented opportunities. The study was carried out in Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, in the Argentinian Patagonia, which offers a wide variety of courses of study to the community. The quali-quantitative research involved in-depth interviews to relevant actors and statistical analysis on cohorts from the Environmental Engineering, Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications Engineering courses of study. Findings show Institutional growth favouring a greater participation of women in careers meant only for men. Still, day-to-day practices of agents and institutions still produce and reproduce gender discrimination still persist.