Early-Career gender inequalities in Italian political science in the context of neoliberal academia

Gender disparities persist as a prominent issue in academic careers, reflecting systemic biases and structural barriers that hinder advancement and contribute to the marginalization of women in precarious academic positions. This article investigates gender inequalities in early careers in Italy with a specific focus on the field of Political Science. Drawing from an original dataset encompassing variables such as gender, age, career stage, geographical areas, and disciplinary sectors, alongside qualitative interviews with post-docs and assistant professors, it offers a comprehensive analysis of Italian researchers’ experiences in precarious academic careers. Through quantitative analysis, it identifies patterns of gender differentiation across various dimensions of academic precarity by comparing the field of Political Science with the whole academic population. Qualitative insights from interviews aim to further investigate such patterns by providing nuanced perspectives on the experiences, challenges, and aspirations of precarious researchers that work in the sector of Political Science, illuminating the intersectional dynamics of gender, age, and career stage.