Navigating Academia: Women’s Stories of Success and Struggle - A Call to Action

Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya

Description

“This book is a vital resource for promoting transformation and radical change in academia, offering perspectives, strategies and approaches that can be used in addressing persistent gender inequities in the field. Readers from all walks of life can glean valuable lessons from this remarkable work, allowing them to be inspired and empowered” Prof Olive Shisana, CEO of Evidence Based Solutions and Honorary Professor, University of Cape Town.There are limited books on real-life experiences of women in the workplace let alone in academia for women, by women, with women. This book is the first of its kind as it contains a unique collection of 16 powerful and inspiring stories of success and struggle of women in academia across age groups, career stages, disciplines, and geographies, that will never leave you the same. It offers a platform for validating African women’s experiences and heeding their voices which are hardly given any audience in many spaces. You will experience a mixed set of emotions as you celebrate women’s resilience, contributions made, and valuable insights shared, but also realize the dehumanizing experiences that women had to go through, and the extraordinary effort it took for them to survive and thrive in non-diverse academic environments. The book offers multiple perspectives, diverse experiences, and rich lessons derived from challenges experienced, and strategies employed, to empower the next generation. Further, the book goes beyond simply highlighting women’s struggles; it also calls for a bold and radical call to change the status quo so that future generations don’t have to go through the same turmoil. The insights provided in this book have implications for attracting, advancing, and retaining African women in academia.Professor Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya (PhD, PGD (Epi), MSc (Epi)) is a qualified epidemiologist and public health scientist. She is the director of the South African Medical Research Council/University of Johannesburg Pan African Centre for Epidemics Research (PACER) Extramural Unit and a professor of epidemiology and public health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg. Prior to joining the University of Johannesburg, she served as the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation at North West University for three years. Professor Phaswana-Mafuya also worked as Acting Executive Director, Research Director, and Chief Research Manager at the Human Sciences Research Council for almost 13 years, among others.

Sujets

• Littérature Sud-Africaine
• Littérature sud-africaine
• Management
• The Women
• Woman
• Academia
• Governance
• Work?life balance
• Women

Informations

• Publié par: UJ Press
• Date de parution: 15 octobre 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776447497
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Navîgatîng Academîa

Women’s Stories of Success and Struggle

A Call to Action

ReIlwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya

Navîgatîng Academîa: Women’s Storîes o Success and Struggle

A Call to Actîon

Publîshed by UJ Press Unîversîty of Johannesburg Lîbrary Auckland Park Kîngsway Campus PO Box 524 Auckland Park 2006 https://ujonlînepress.uj.ac.za/

Compîlatîon © Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya 2023

Chapters © Refîlwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya 2023

Publîshed Edîtîon © Refîlwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya 2023

Fîrst publîshed 2023

https://doî.org/10.36615/9781776447497

978-1-7764474-8-0 (Paperback)

978-1-7764474-9-7 (PDF)

978-1-7764530-0-9 (EPUB)

978-1-7764530-1-6 (XML)

Thîs publîcatîon had been submîtted to a rîgorous double-blînd peer- revîew process prîor to publîcatîon and all recommendatîons by the revîewers were consîdered and împlemented before publîcatîon.

Copy edîtor: Lauren Shapîro

Cover desîgn: Hester Roets, UJ Graphîc Desîgn Studîo

Typeset în 10/13pt Merrîweather Lîght

Contents

Foreword ...........................................................................................

Introductîon ....................................................................................

1.

2.

The Plîght of Women în Academîa ...................................

Navîgatîng an Epîdemîology Career ................................

3. Breakîng Barrîers to Research Leadershîp, Management, and Governance .........................................

î

îîî

1

7

19

4. Managîng Competîng Work-Lîfe Prîorîtîes ................... 29

5. Rîsîng from Teenage Pregnancy to Veterînary Medîcîne ....................................................................................

6. Chartîng a Mechanîcal Engîneerîng Career whîch Challenged the Stereotypîcal Vîew of Women ..............

37

43

7. Ascendîng from Humble Begînnîngs to Mathematîcs Educatîon Followed by Academîc Leadershîp ............... 49

8. Adjustîng to Unprecedented Changes to Become an Assocîate Professor of Physîology ....................................

9. Openîng a Solo Medîcal Practîce wîthout Fînancîal Backup ........................................................................................

10. Turnîng Vulnerabîlîtîes înto Steppîng Stones towards a Publîc Health Career .........................................

57

63

71

11. Transîtîonîng from an Average Pass în Matrîc to Doctoral Degree în Medîcal Vîrology ................................

12. Goîng Back to Matrîc after Fallîng Pregnant, Followed by Dîscovery of Passîon for a Publîc Health Career ..........................................................................

13. Traversîng Dîicult Seasons of Lîfe to Pursue Mathematîcal Statîstîcs ........................................................

81

87

97

14. Sacrîficîng Materîal Gaîns to Pursue a Career în the Helpîng Professîon ................................................................. 105

15. Survîvîng Unstable Jobs în Pursuît of a Publîc Health Career ...........................................................................

16. Crossîng Terrîtorîal Boundarîes to Pursue Envîronmental Health Career Aspîratîons .....................

111

117

17. Leavîng a Comfort Zone to Pursue Doctoral Studîes Agaînst All Odds ...................................................................... 125

18. Transformîng from Barrenness to Fruîtfulness whîle Achîevîng a Data Scîence Career ...........................

131

19.............................. 139Defyîng the Odds, Eîther Push or Pull

20. Key Lessons Learnt From Journeys of the Women Featured în the Book .............................................................. 145

21. Synopsîs of Advîce to Young Women Pursuîng Careers în Academîa .............................................................

151

22. A Call to Actîon to Change the Status Quo – The Tîme îs Now .................................................................... 155

References ......................................................................................... 165

Bîography of the Author ..............................................................

181

Trîbutes by the Women Featured în the Book ....................... 185

Acknowledgements ........................................................................ 189