Women and men in scientific careers: new scenarios, old asymmetries

Despite the remarkable growth of women participation in the higher education system, one can observe the persistence of significant gender imbalances in scientific careers, both in a horizontal and a vertical way, or even the emergence of new asymmetries due to the current trends in work and management patterns as well as to the processes of redefinition ongoing within different scientific fields. The complexity and articulation of the phenomenon require the adoption of multiple analytical tools and interpretations, which allow to account for both the changes taking place, and of the plurality of factors at play. This special issue intends to show and discuss some facets of the phenomena in the Italian context, considering the transition from education to work, women’s trajectories and strategies in some disciplinary fields, the experiences of early-career researchers, and the pay gap phenomenon among physicians. These issues will be investigated using different research tools and interpretative lenses.