Academic housework in pandemic times: COVID-19 effects on the gendered distribution of academic work in Portugal

Abstract

A large body of scientific literature has highlighted the gendered division of academic work, particularly the undervalued and invisible tasks that make up the less prestigious dimension of the academic professions. Informed by the concept of ‘academic housework’, this paper explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the gendered distribution of academic work, drawing from the results of a survey of 1750 lecturers and researchers from Portuguese public universities. Our results, based on a series of linear and categorical regressions, point to the reinforcement of gender inequalities in the division of academic labour during the pandemic. This is reflected in worsening imbalances in the allocation of time to unpaid, invisible ‘institutional housekeeping’ and to emotional, institutional care work, including mentoring and supporting students. The fact that women, regardless of their family or professional situation, bore the greater share of the effort associated with the increased material and emotional demands of teaching and academic service during this period is reflected in an increasing imbalance in the allocation of time to research, which involves fundamental activities for career advancement. Our findings underline the need to rethink the current neoliberal model of academic meritocracy and to begin to recognise and value the gendered and invisible work of academics.