PATRIFOCALITY AND THE ENTRY OF WOMEN INTO SCIENCE

In this article, Lalita Subrahmanyan explores some of the factors that have contributed to the choice of science as a specialization by a gr oup of academic women scientists at the University of Madras in South India. She looks at two aspect of women's entry into science: the enco uragement they received to pursue education to the highest level, and the circumstances that led to their pursuit of science as a specializa tion. Research in India has shown that within the context of a patrifo cal family structure characteristic of many parts of the society, educ ational decisions are not made by individuals but by families. Moreove r, they are different for sons and daughters, most often in favor of t he former. This study illustrates how such a patrifocal family structu re and ideology affect decisions regarding women's entry into educatio n in both ways: negatively, by creating obstacles to their progress, b ut also under special circumstances very positively. Despite the parti cipants' perceptions that their educational decisions were mainly take n by themselves individually, parental and family involvement in the p rocess has been significant. In two of the cases in which parents have been extraordinarily encouraging and have supported the women through their school and college very actively, as well as in others in which there has been strong opposition, patrifocal factors have played a ke y role in affecting women's decisions to pursue higher education. Acco rding to the author, the study shows evidence of a possibility that, u nder the present social structure, and given the financial burden that education entails, women from poorer families will not make it to the top if they have brothers who are brilliant. But in spite of patrifoc ality and within certain boundaries set by society, the reasons for th e participants' choice of science have been personal or school-related . The article also points to an interesting challenge to patrifocality in the form of mentors and role-models in schools and in work-place w ho are able to help women focus their interest in science, and in some cases, even influence family decisions in favor of girls and women. F urther study of how decisions are made may show that instead of nation al policies or legal mandates, organized personal intervention may be more effective in India in improving the access of women and other dis advantaged groups to education or to science and technology.