Athena SWAN Silver Applications and Gender Equality Action Plans: A Driving Force in Irish Higher Education or Genderwashing?

Pat O'Connor

Gender, Work and Organization, 2025, vol. 32, issue 6, 2339-2352

Abstract: Athena SWAN is seen as key in tackling gender inequality in Irish higher education institutions, with bronze, silver, and gold awards. It aims at changing their structure and culture. The research question asked whether the content of successful Silver Athena SWAN award‐winning applications suggested that it was a driving force for gender equality or constituted genderwashing. Specifically (a) did the content suggest a willingness to recognize gender inequality? (b) Did the HEI see itself as creating or maintaining that inequality? Based on the trends emerging from a content analysis of two of these successful Athena SWAN Silver applications, six types of institutional resistance were identified: first a failure to see gender inequality as an issue; second, a failure to recognize the experience and source of gender inequality; third, ignoring their own data in the application in framing Action Plans; fourth, a focus on individual rather than organizational solutions; fifth, a focus on organizationally “convenient” explanations; sixth a lack of specificity and ambition in the Action Plans. Abductively, these trends suggested institutional resistance by HEIs, reflected in genderwashing, that is, focusing on superficial change while ignoring structural and power imbalances perpetuating gender inequality. The sources and implications of this are discussed.

Date: 2025
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