Women in Political Science: Challenges and Progress

A conversation at UNAM highlighted the advances and challenges women face in political science, emphasizing the importance of feminism in academia.


In the discussion "Women in Political Science: Advancing Careers from Feminisms," organized by the Political Studies Center (CEP) of the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences (FCPyS) of UNAM, various speakers highlighted the challenges and advances faced by women in this traditionally male-dominated field.

Karolina Gilas, a professor at the CEP, addressed the need to justify work from a feminist perspective, while Mariana Sánchez, a PhD candidate in Political and Social Sciences, warned about the perpetuation of gender stereotypes that affect women's roles in caregiving.

Rebeca Téllez Suárez, an alumna of FCPyS, emphasized the importance of having bibliographies of female authors during her training to enrich her perspective. Despite mentioning the progress made, Valverde Viesca warned about the persistence of gender biases, especially for women who choose to combine professional life with motherhood.

Sol Cárdenas Arguedas, a professor at the CEP, underlined that feminism is not only a social movement but also a critical theory that reveals epistemic biases in political science. Julieth Beltrán Ronderos, a master's student in Political and Social Studies, highlighted how feminism has enriched this field by opening discussions on historically excluded topics.

Karla Valverde Viesca, an academic at FCPyS, emphasized the increase in women's participation in political science in recent decades and pointed out a greater equity at the entry levels today. The dialogue at UNAM evidenced the advances and challenges faced by women in a field previously dominated by men.