Gender Gap or Gender Bias in Peace Research? Publication Patterns and Citation Rates for<i>Journal of Peace Research</i>, 1983-2008

TLDR

Many studies report lower academic productivity among women, and evidence for gender bias in publication and impact is mixed. The study investigates whether women are less likely to get published, examines gender gaps in submissions, and explores how author and reviewer gender affect perceived merit and citation counts. The authors analyze submission data from the Journal of Peace Research (1983–2008), assessing gender gaps in submissions and evaluating the influence of author and reviewer gender on perceived merit and citation counts. The data reveal a clear but declining gender gap, with no evidence of significant gender bias in publication success or citation counts.

Abstract

Many studies report lower academic productivity among women. But are women less likely to get their research published in the first place? The evidence for potential gender bias in publication and impact is mixed. This article examines the gender dimension of scientific publication in international relations (IR) based on submission data for Journal of Peace Research for the period 1983–2008. It examines the gender gap in submissions and explores whether the perceived merit of a research paper is affected by the gender of the authors and reviewers. It also investigates whether the gender of the first author influences citation counts. The data show a clear but declining gender gap. They do not indicate any significant gender bias in publication success or citations.