Examining the Experiences of Women Sport Management Faculty: A Case Study Analysis

Abstract

Framed as an instrumental case study, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the challenges women face and the experiences that women have as faculty members in academia. Data was collection by using a qualitative in-depth semi-structured interview methodology. The women who were chose for this research are tenured or tenure-track faculty in sport management departments at a University in the Midwest. The data analysis consisted of unitzing the data, followed by coding the data in categories and themes. Feminist standpoint theory was utilized to help understand the experiences of the female faculty. This investigation found that female tenured or tenure-track faculty had several common experiences during their academic careers. All of the women discussed the importance of the institutional and departmental climate at the University. Additionally, they examined the marginalization they had felt while teaching classes from their students. Specifically, they cited many students question their knowledge about sport because they are female. Furthermore, the participants also discussed the challenges that came from work-life conflict. Each participant discussed the impact various mentor relationships had on them throughout their academic careers. Mentoring relationships were critical to those participants that had them both as students and as current faculty members. Finally, the support mechanisms each faculty member used to benefit their career were examined, noting specifically the impact of conference attendance as both a means of professional and personal support.