How Do We Talk About Leaders? An Exploration of Discourse and Gender Surrounding University Presidents

• In Event: Equitable Education Systems and Organizational Discourses

Abstract

This critical discourse analysis examined the perceptions of both internal and external stakeholders of 10 men and 10 women presidents at research universities through an analysis of publicly available commentary (e.g., social media, blogs) that was evaluated for what was said and how it was said to better understand the role of gender in the perceptions of leadership. Findings were that gender continues to be an integral part of the discussion for women presidents, and men and women were evaluated against traditional gender-role expectations. The criticism for men presidents was often situation based whereas women presidents faced broader criticisms and were held to higher expectations, with commentary often not directly related to their leadership but to their appearance and demeanor.

Authors

• Patricia Ryan Pal, Texas Tech University

• Stephanie J. Jones, Texas Tech University