The Role of Parenthood in Shaping PhD Holders' Careers Beyond Academia: A Gender Perspective

Abstract

The study investigates the impact of parenthood on the careers of PhD holders who work outside academia, with a focus on gender differences. It analyses the dialogues between professional and parental roles of 38 Spanish PhD holders from various disciplines, their interaction with social discourses about parenthood and the outcomes of these dialogues to identify the impact of parenthood on participants' careers. Dialogues and discourses about parenthood that emerged from the data were organised into three participant profiles: PhD holders for whom parenthood was central, composed mostly of women; PhD holders who ‘fitted’ parenthood into their trajectories, composed mostly of men; and childfree PhD holders, with a more balanced gender distribution. Many participants acknowledged that non-academic careers offer better opportunities for balancing parenthood and work than academic careers. The study highlights the importance of examining dialogues and social discourses to understand how personal and societal factors influence career decision-making processes.