Chronicle of inequality: The case of ecology in Argentina
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.25.35.2.1.2505Keywords:
authorships, gender inequity, hierarchical positions, homophily, positions of power, publications, scientific meetings, science, visibilityAbstract
Historically, the trajectories of women in science have been less recognized than those of men. In Ecology, the lower participation of women in academia and scientific articles reflects global gender inequities. We evaluated the representation and visibility of women and men in the field of Ecology in Argentina over the past 30 years. Using generalized linear models, we analyzed gender disparities over time in key areas: the directive board of the Asociación Argentina de Ecología (AsAE), the Argentine Ecology Meeting (RAE), the editorial team of Ecología Austral (EA) and the authors publishing in the journal. We found a gender gap spanning 30 years. In both the directive board of AsAE and the editorial team of EA, there was a high representation of men in key leadership positions, while women dominated subordinate roles. Women participated less frequently as invited speakers at conferences and symposia in the RAE and presented more posters than men. Finally, women published more than men as first authors at EA. Our results align with global trends, which we explain by considering various phenomena and effects that render women invisible and that —despite some initial favorable changes— seem to be still present in our national system. The analysis used gender as a lens to advocate for a fairer and more equitable scientific system. Inclusion of women and other marginalized groups —through an intersectional lens— in the construction of scientific knowledge, is not only an ethical and political imperative, but also a catalyst for diverse perspectives and experiences for the development of concepts, approaches and tools leading to new and interesting advances in Ecology. An English version of this article is available in Supplementary Material 2.
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Copyright (c) 2025 M. Gabriela Núñez Montellano, María L. Sandoval-Salinas, Patricia V. Zelaya, Silvia Lomáscolo, Gabriela Fontanarrosa, Daniela Rodríguez, Verónica Chillo, Valeria Aschero, Natalia M. Schroeder, Valentina Brailovsky, Marisa A. Álvarez, Maia C. Plaza Behr, María J. Lorenzo Pisarello, María E. Fanjul, María Piquer Rodríguez, Ariana Choque, M. Fernanda Martínez-Gálvez

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