Women of Academe: Outsiders in the Sacred Grove [Paperback]

Nadya Aisenberg (Author), Mona Harrington (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this illuminating study, Aisenberg (The Dream of Deliverance in American Politics) and Harrington, a lawyer and political science instructor at Vassar, identify "a battery of danger points common to the experience of women seeking professional autonomy and authority" in academia and warn that female intellectuals may undermine their own career advancement by refusing to follow the "rules of the game." Interviews with 62 academics indicate that women seldom receive effective career counseling; fail to develop career strategies (five- and 10-year plans); neglect to establish professional credentials early on (e.g., submitting thesis papers for publication); are unfamiliar with networking; and shun self-promotion as calculated, even cold-blooded manipulation. Most cherish the "merit dream," the belief that political expediency is beneath Ivory Tower purity. Even the tenured professor is loath to exercise her voice of authority, once attained, fearing stigmatization as a shrew. The authors offer concrete approaches to professionalization (e.g., gain practice in political skills through volunteer work) that will benefit women outside the academic community as well. (April) UFunder
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Women have long been subservient to men regardless of the lip service paid to equality; old stigmas still exist. Supported by over 60 interviews, the authors examine the old rules and the struggle of women to gain recognition in the academic profession. Their conclusions offer thoughts on what women should do; the possible actions provide no real solutions for individuals but collectively motivate and stimulate self-esteem. A definitive, thought-provoking study. Recommended. L.R. Little, Penticton P.L., British Columbia
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Massachusetts Pr; Soft Cover edition (July 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870236075
• ISBN-13: 978-0870236075
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,032,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must read for women in academia, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Women of Academe: Outsiders in the Sacred Grove (Hardcover)

Although written more than a decade ago, this book is still a valuable reference about the difficulties women in academia face. Based on interviews with 25 tenured women and 35 women off the normal academic career track, the authors discuss recurring themes in the experience of academic women. Arguably, little has changed since the interviews were conducted. Many of these themes indicate that women ascribe to values counter to the academic system, such as cooperation rather than competition, inclusivity rather than exclusivity, relative knowledge rather than absolute knowledge, and an impulse to integrate a work life and a personal life as a wholly natural way to live. The authors suggest that any achievement of equality of women with men in academia is necessarily a revolutionary process because it requires a change in powerful traditional social norms.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Starting Place for Anyone Interested in Woman and Work, July 30, 2001

By 

P. J. Moran "Witch of an Editor" (Florida Panhandle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Women of Academe: Outsiders in the Sacred Grove (Paperback)

Though some people seem set on dividing the universe into arbitrary segments, the universe is not so tidy. This book supposedly is aimed at women working in universities. It is of value to a wider audience, however. It shows the "rules" by which women are expected to play, explains where the rules came from, and shows how female academics have engaged in counter-hegemonic discourse and action. The role of mentoring is emphasized. This is a good source for blue-collar women who assume university professors have it made, for students who intend to teach, for academics of both sexes, and for readers who are starting to suspect they have feminist tendencies.

4.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely essential read, August 7, 2011

By 

J. Holtz (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Women of Academe: Outsiders in the Sacred Grove (Paperback)

As a first-generation college student who advanced to a Ph.D. and university faculty position, I can firmly state that this book is an essential read for anyone who wants to know what it's like to be a woman in academia. Had I read it early in my career, there's no doubt that I would have had fewer problems, fewer incidences of my work being ignored and a less traumatic tenure process. The ivory tower experience in academe exists only for men of a certain age and complexion, despite the advances made by women in the last 50 years.