Storying Female Academics' Career Development in Indonesian Islamic
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Storying female academics’ career development in Indonesian Islamic higher education: A postcolonial feminist analysis Siti Muflichah Bachelor of Art in Islamic Studies (Arabic and Literature) Master of Art in Islamic Studies (Islamic Education) Master of Education (Leadership and Management) A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2019 School of Education Abstract Indonesian female academics have achieved positions of repute and prestige in certain departments, however many more have remained in the background or on the periphery, marginalized by discriminatory practices that are penetrative and unacknowledged. The position of women as professional and academic staff in the faculty in which I am currently working are rarely positioned in the role of Associate Professor or above. Academic women are less productive in terms of research and publications, and they hold a lower academic rank. In leadership positions, the women experience a slow climb up the administrative career ladder. This study focuses on the experiences of female academics in the context of Islamic Indonesian higher education, and explores their experiences of career development. Postcolonial feminism, a theoretical lens which acknowledges the diversity of women’s experiences in contexts outside the West, is used in this study to critique the stories female academics have to share in relation to their opportunities for career development. As this study draws upon feminist and postcolonial perspectives, narrative inquiry is explored as a useful methodology for storying the diversity of lived experiences as valid sources of knowledge amongst female academics in this context. Nine female academics have been asked to tell their story regarding promotion at an Islamic Indonesian university. Once their stories are told, a new story is constructed. When re- storying, time, space and people are added to build sequences or events. Studies which investigate female academics’ experiences in their career development mostly portray White female academics, there are fewer studies which focus on experiences of Muslim female academics from non-Western backgrounds, especially from Indonesia. My study provides an understanding of feminist discourses as related to the context of Indonesian Muslim women in academia. This study also provides a language to enable female academics to speak; this is important because female academics have been exploited by history and seen as “other” in higher education. This study focuses on “others,” and rejects women’s universalism. Findings from their stories, female academics reveal the challenges they experience when they are in the early stages of their careers. They have to adapt to the new position which might be different from what they expect. However, in the end, they find a way to define themselves as an Indonesian successful female academic. Female academics also shared that they experience hard times under new managerialism, with negative impacts on their academics and personal lives, as well as overall academic productivity. Further, this study sheds light on the ways in which Indonesian Muslim female academics experience otherness in academia with colleagues of the opposite sex and the ways in which the “male gaze” intrudes onto their academic career. i Through storytelling, this study then contributes to an understanding of women’s experiences of success and challenge within Islamic Indonesian academia. This study of female academics from Indonesia and Muslim, also contributes to add a layer of theory to our understanding of women and management from non-Western backgrounds. This thesis is very significant to change the status quo for female academics in Indonesian Islamic higher education. This thesis might then be a starting point to help create change, and eliminate inequality in female academics’ career development. From feminism’s bigger picture, this mission is to free women from oppression. ii Declaration by author This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis. I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, financial support and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my higher degree by research candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award. I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the policy and procedures of The University of Queensland, the thesis be made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968 unless a period of embargo has been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis and have sought permission from co-authors for any jointly authored works included in the thesis. iii Publications during candidature Book chapter Muflichah, S., Andriani, D., & Mackinlay, E. (2018). Taking a trip through and with the sisterhood of the Global South: storying our experiences as female academics in Indonesia and Australia. In A. Black & S. Garvis (Eds.), Lived experiences of women in academia: Metaphors, manifestos and memoir (pp. 94-104). New York, NY: Routledge. Conference abstracts Muflichah, S. (2016, June). If you are a male you get it more? Storying professional learning and leadership opportunities for female academics in Indonesia. Paper presented at the Biennial International Conference, Australian Women and Gender Studies Association/AWGSA, Brisbane. Muflichah, S. (2016, August). Narratives of Indonesian successful women faculty in the academy. Paper presented at School of Education, the University of Queensland Postgraduate Research Community Conference/PRCC, Brisbane. Muflichah, S. (2016, November). Successful women faculty? Narratives of Indonesian women in the academy. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education/AARE conference, Melbourne. Muflichah, S. (2018, September). Our experiences within Neoliberal management policy. Stories of academic women in Indonesian academia. Paper presented in Indonesia Institute Postgraduate Workshop, Australian National University, Canberra. Muflichah, S. (2018, September). I am a Muslimah academic, listen to my story. Restorying lndonesian female academics’ career experiences. Paper presented in International Conference on Social and Political Science/ICSPS, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta. Muflichah, S. (2019, April). Writing a global and Southern sisterhood between Indonesia and Australia: The possibilities of “difference” and collaborative autoethnography. Paper presented in The 5th World Conference on Women’s Studies 2019, Windsor Suites and Convention, Bangkok. Muflichah, S. (2019, October). “You put me under surveillances”: Storying a woman faculty on new managerialism implementation. Paper presented in The 19th Annual International Conference on Islamic Studies/AICIS, Mercure Jakarta Batavia, Jakarta. Publications included in this thesis No publication included. iv Contributions by others to the thesis “No contributions by others.” Statement of parts of the thesis submitted to qualify for the award of another degree “None”. Research Involving Human or Animal Subjects Please provide details of any ethics approvals obtained including the ethics approval number and name of approving committees. Approval number: 2016001552 Name of approving committees: Dr. Frederick Khafagi A copy of the ethics approval letter must be included in the thesis appendix. v Acknowledgements First of all, I am grateful to Allah, the Almighty God for enabling me to accomplish this PhD thesis. I devote this thesis to my husband Jamal and my sons: Adib and Rikza for their patience during my study in Brisbane. Their great patience is indeed my great weapon to finish this journey. I am really fortunate that I have parents, sisters and brothers, who have the view that pursuing a PhD is a must. I would specially thank them for their advocacy, endorsement, recognition and appreciation. To my nieces and nephews, who always love me, my huge dream relies on you. I hope I could inspire you in your life. My parents, my sisters- and brothers- in law who have given their great assistance and support to my family when I was away. I acknowledge the effort they have made. My profound gratitude to both my advisors Associate Professor Elizabeth Mackinlay and Associate Professor Ian Hardy for always trusting me that I could finish my study. Your care, empathy, and trust reflect our understanding of feminist ethics which lead to mutual dialogic among us. You both give me real examples of how to deal with dilemmas as a mature student and as a researcher. I would