The Gender Citation Gap in Human Geography: Indications from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

Abstract

The Matilda effect describes the phenomenon that findings generated by women receive less recognition in the scientific community than those generated by men. The Matilda effect is particularly consequential in citation practice. Unequal citation rates of men and women have a direct impact on scientific career opportunities. This article traces the Matilda effect in German-speaking human geography: From a network analysis perspective, the citation relationships of 150 geography professors in more than 4,000 publications are evaluated. The results show a clear gender citation gap emerging from a gender bias. Other explanations such as structural aspects and specific network characteristics can be excluded as explanations.