Dealing with the ball and chain: A grounded theory study of the experiences of women in STEM domains in Ghana

摘要

Prior gender research studies about Ghana and its tertiary education sector underscore the pervasion of gender inequalities and inequities in Ghana. There are however scanty literatures relative to females in STEM in Ghana. The study was done to explore the experiences of females in STEM domains in universities and research institutions. Grounded theory was utilized to generate a theory encompassing their participants' experiences.;The experiences of the participants began with the creation and development of interest in STEM before higher education, then they proceeded to participate in higher education. Upon completion they pursued STEM careers as they faced realities associated with their career and womanhood. There were five trajectories among the participants relative to the gender discrimination experienced and support received in their STEM journeys. Based on trajectory, they produced outcomes which determined the kind of empowerment activities they embarked on.;The Ghanaian society is still deeply patriarchal. Gender is not only entwined with other social categorizations in Ghana, it is the center of intersectionality. This is reflected in the choice of discipline, the choice of STEM discipline, the kind of occupation/career, and basically the conception of women in the Ghanaian society. Gender was the denominator of the sarcastic/subtle and explicit comments; classroom and institutional structures; and cultural, institutional, and curricular practices. Thus, all aspects of their experiences in the STEM disciplinary domains were impinged by the fact of their gender.