A matter of time? Women in Uruguayan Political Science

Abstract

Studies on women's place in political science have increased, but are incipient in Latin America. Research on the Global North shows that the field remains masculinized, although women's representation has improved. This leads to the “catch-up” hypothesis: the lower participation of women in critical institutions can be attributed to the historically masculinized origins of the discipline, but over time, this imbalance is expected to correct itself as societies become more gender equal. Based on original evidence, this article discusses the hypothesis through the case of Uruguay, an ideal country for study because its equality in various dimensions suggests that if gender inequalities in political science are found here, they should also be present (and possibly more significantly) in other countries in the region. After contextualizing and describing the general characteristics of political science in Uruguay, the article examines the presence of women in academic teaching programs and research. We found that in some indicators the evolution over time has been positive for women, but there are other gender biases that require action to change.