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Journals / Doğuş Üniversitesi Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 27 Sayı: 1

BREAKING BARRIERS IN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP: INSTITUTIONAL AND CULTURAL CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN ACADEMICS

AKADEMİK LİDERLİKTE ENGELLERİ AŞMAK: KADIN AKADEMİSYENLER İÇİN KURUMSAL VE KÜLTÜREL ZORLUKLAR

Damla Köroğlu Ünver(ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY)0000-0001-9749-3152
Pages
623–647
Publication Date
2026-03-16
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

By foregrounding the voices and lived experiences of women leaders, this research contributes to bridging the gap between feminist theory and actionable institutional change.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study explores the structural and cultural barriers encountered by women academics in Türkiye in their pursuit of leadership positions, focusing on business schools at public universities.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The findings demonstrate that while formal policies promoting gender equity exist, informal institutional norms and cultural narratives continue to sustain gendered hierarchies.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:By foregrounding the voices and lived experiences of women leaders, this research contributes to bridging the gap between feminist theory and actionable institutional change.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Toplumsal Cinsiyet Eşitliği · Akademik Liderlik · Feminist Kurumsalcılık

Abstract

This study explores the structural and cultural barriers encountered by women academics in Türkiye in their pursuit of leadership positions, focusing on business schools at public universities. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of Feminist Institutionalism and Poststructuralist Feminism, the research employs a qualitative, phenomenological design based on in-depth interviews with twenty women in leadership roles. Thematic analysis revealed four broad themes: invisible barriers shaping gendered career paths, promotion structures reinforcing inequality, exclusion through male-dominated informal networks, and the need to reimagine inclusive leadership models. The findings demonstrate that while formal policies promoting gender equity exist, informal institutional norms and cultural narratives continue to sustain gendered hierarchies. The study offers both theoretical insights and practical recommendations, advocating for structural reforms and cultural transformations to create more inclusive and equitable academic environments. By foregrounding the voices and lived experiences of women leaders, this research contributes to bridging the gap between feminist theory and actionable institutional change.

Özet

Bu çalışma, Türkiye’de kamu üniversitelerinin işletme fakültelerinde görev yapan kadın akademisyenlerin liderlik pozisyonlarına ulaşma süreçlerinde karşılaştıkları yapısal ve kültürel engelleri incelemektedir. Araştırma, kuramsal çerçevesini Feminist Kuramsalcılık ve Postyapısalcı Feminizm yaklaşımlarından alarak, nitel ve fenomenolojik bir tasarımla yürütülmüştür. Liderlik pozisyonunda bulunan yirmi kadın akademisyenle yapılan derinlemesine görüşmelere dayanan çalışmada, tematik analiz sonucunda dört ana tema belirlenmiştir: toplumsal cinsiyete dayalı kariyer yollarını şekillendiren görünmez engeller, eşitsizliği yeniden üreten terfi yapıları, erkek egemen gayri resmî ağlar aracılığıyla dışlama ve kapsayıcı liderlik modellerinin yeniden tasarlanması ihtiyacı. Araştırma bulguları, toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliğini teşvik eden resmî politikaların varlığına rağmen, kurumsal yapıların içerisindeki gayri resmî normlar ve kültürel anlatıların toplumsal cinsiyete dayalı hiyerarşileri sürdürdüğünü ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışma hem kuramsal hem de pratik düzeyde katkılar sunmakta; daha kapsayıcı ve adil akademik ortamların inşası için yapısal reformlar ve kültürel dönüşümler önerilmektedir. Kadın liderlerin seslerini ve deneyimlerini ön plana çıkaran bu araştırma, feminist kuram ile kurumsal düzeyde somut değişim arasındaki boşluğun kapatılmasına katkı sağlamaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Ünver, D. K. (2026). BREAKING BARRIERS IN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP: INSTITUTIONAL AND CULTURAL CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN ACADEMICS. Doğuş Üniversitesi Dergisi, Cilt: 27 Sayı: 1, 623–647. https://doi.org/10.31671/doujournal.1706230

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