Title |
Objectivity and realms of explanation in academic journal articles concerning sex/gender: a comparison of Gender studies and the other social sciences
|
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Published in |
Scientometrics, May 2017
|
DOI | 10.1007/s11192-017-2407-x |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Therese Söderlund, Guy Madison |
Abstract |
Gender studies (GS) has been challenged on epistemological grounds. Here, we compare samples of peer-reviewed academic journal publications written by GS authors and authors from closely related disciplines in the social sciences. The material consisted of 2805 statements from 36 peer-reviewed journal articles, sampled from the Swedish Gender Studies List, which covers >12,000 publications. Each statement was coded as expressing a lack of any of three aspects of objectivity: Bias, Normativity, or Political activism, or as considering any of four realms of explanation for the behaviours or phenomena under study: Biology/genetics, Individual/group differences, Environment/culture, or Societal institutions. Statements in GS publications did to a greater extent express bias and normativity, but not political activism. They did also to a greater extent consider cultural, environmental, social, and societal realms of explanation, and to a lesser extent biological and individual differences explanations. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 74 | 9% |
Sweden | 73 | 9% |
United Kingdom | 23 | 3% |
Spain | 21 | 3% |
Chile | 16 | 2% |
Canada | 13 | 2% |
Australia | 12 | 1% |
France | 10 | 1% |
Germany | 10 | 1% |
Other | 70 | 9% |
Unknown | 493 | 60% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 761 | 93% |
Scientists | 28 | 3% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 13 | 2% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 11 | 1% |
Unknown | 2 | <1% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 35 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 9 | 26% |
Researcher | 5 | 14% |
Other | 4 | 11% |
Student > Bachelor | 3 | 9% |
Librarian | 1 | 3% |
Other | 2 | 6% |
Unknown | 11 | 31% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Social Sciences | 7 | 20% |
Psychology | 5 | 14% |
Computer Science | 2 | 6% |
Arts and Humanities | 2 | 6% |
Business, Management and Accounting | 1 | 3% |
Other | 4 | 11% |
Unknown | 14 | 40% |