Marginaal: over de selectie van wetenschappelijk talent

Samenvatting

Argues that an academic career is becoming nearly impossible for many talented Dutch researchers. The number of openings at the universities is far surpassed by the number of qualified candidates. Gender & age discrimination are often factors in deciding to whom the few existing opening will be awarded; quality of scholarship is not always the prime consideration. From 1986 to 1994, the proportion of women awarded membership in the Dutch Academy of Sciences averaged about 20%, while the average age was about 33. Although women vastly outnumber men in most university social science programs, by the time students are finishing their advanced degrees, women's participation has fallen to about 40%. Over the past century, women have made considerable progress; at present, they account for almost 50% of the students in Dutch universities. It is suggested that to increase women's participation in the upper echelons of academia, the postdoctoral process should be modified. 1 Table, 12 References. M. Meeks