Boys’ Club and the Career Ladder: Social Capital and Promotions in Academia

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: SIG-Faculty Teaching, Evaluation, and Development Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

In higher education, the 'boys' club' phenomenon is defined as an organization or
network where men dominate decision-making spaces. This study investigates the gendered
influence of the boys’ club culture on faculty promotions and career trajectories in a higher
education institution in South Asia. Through a rigorous mixed-method approach, the findings
reveal that there is a strong perception that key promotion decisions are linked to social capital,
which women rarely have access to. This perpetuates a culture of socialization that favors men.
This suggests that the boys' club mentality might continue to hinder women's career progression,
reinforcing gender inequity in academia, and calls for the need to combat this imbalance through
policy intervention and greater representation of women in decision-making.

Authors

• Rahema Imtiaz, LUMS

• Ayesha Hussain, Lahore University of Management Sciences

• Farah Nadeem, Lahore University of Management Sciences