The Gender Revolution in Science and Technology

Abstract

The confluence between the gender and information technology (IT) revolutions has the potential to create a new development paradigm. The transition from an industrial to a knowledge society opens up new opportunities for women in the emerging technology transfer, innovation and entrepreneurship (TIE)fields that avoid some of the negative consequences of academic science. The spread of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in developing countries empowers women by upgrading skills, enhancing employment opportunities, creating income for reinvestment and political strength. This article addresses the consequences of gender inequalities in depressing the contribution of women and the growing opportunities for them to use technology in order to take economic and social advancement into their own hands. ********** The gender revolution in science and technology (ST * Domestic responsibilities, which fall disproportionately on women; and * Lack of social capital (i.e., the relative exclusion from strong networks and the feeling of being outsiders in the field of science) and over-reliance on human capital. (7) As the gender revolution evolves, new vistas appear in the transition from an industrial to a knowledge-based society, bringing increased opportunities for women in the emerging technology transfer, innovation and entrepreneurship (TIE) fields. TIE provides an alternative path that enables women to avoid some of the negative social and psychological consequences of academic science's gendered structures. In this article we address the consequences of gender inequalities in depressing the contribution of women and the growing opportunities for them to use technology in order to take economic and social advancement into their own hands, mostly exemplified through studies from India. …