Investigating the relationship between gender and content of science

Feminists have articulated a variety of gender-based forms of oppression that have characterised modern science. These perspectives can be divided into two broad categories: women in science and gender and science. On the one hand, scholarship that falls in the domain of women in science problematizes less number of women in science education and scientific practice. Studies on relative participation rates of women and men in science have focussed on large social and political structures that disadvantage

women; they also bring to surface less spectacular aspects of interpersonal communication, peer-review practices, hostile environment in educational institutions and professional workplaces, and continued traditional social role expectations that put women at a disadvantage in science. On the other hand, scholarship in the domain of gender and science has produced a wide array of deeper appraisals of science. This kind of work argues that science has been involved in the creation and reinforcement of gender inequalities. In the different disciplines of sciences, women, gender, and issues that concern women, are routinely marginalised as subjects of scientific inquiry, or when they are pursued, research results mostly reproduce gender-normative stereotypes. Scientific authority attached to these findings further serves to undermine the position of women and other sex/gender minorities in society. Feminists have also uncovered the ways in

which gender ideologies influence working of science at different stages of scientific inquiry. Gender influences the questions taken up for investigation, the methods used, frameworks for studying the problems, design of experiments, collection of data, interpretation of results, and applications of those results. Language of modern science- the way scientists communicate with each other, the way they present their research, and the metaphors and models that they employ to make sense of the world-is intertwined with sexual and mostly misogynist imagery. In light of such findings, the objective and value-neutral character of science stands challenged.