Feminization of IT Sector in Armenia: reasons and perspectives
Everywhere in the world, women are much less likely than men to specialize in STEM fields.
Despite the important role women played at the beginning of the technological era, this has not been reflected in their careers in computer science and other STEM disciplines over the past several decades. The division of labor between the sexes continues to create feminized and masculinized professions and horizontal and vertical gender segregation in the labor market.
In the technology industry, women are particularly underrepresented in managerial and technical roles. However, the number of women working in the information technology and communications sectors in Armenia appears to break this mold, and the country will soon be the leader in terms of feminization of the IT sector.
According to recent research, 70% of students in computer science at the American University of Armenia are women “Gender Wage Gap and Female Labor Supply in Armenia,” V. Baghdasaryan, G. Barseghyan, Winter Workshop in Economic Theory and Policy, Armenian Economic Association, 2018).
These data need to be subject to further research, to include all higher education establishments offering a computer science major, IT companies, and experts with knowledge and expertise in the domain. This research project will provide a clear picture of the current IT sector in Armenia and reveal the reasons and perspectives behind its feminization.
Researchers
Hasmik Gevorgyan is professor of Sociology at Yerevan State University, the author of several monographs and articles, including “The Art of Being: 20th-Century Rhythms” (2004), based on oral history research, and “Gender Issues: Problems and Solutions” (2001, 2014), which discusses approaches to research on gender and gender education. Hasmic Gevorgyan obtained her Master’s degree from Yerevan State University and her doctorate in Sociology from Tbilissi State University. She has studied and worked at several institutions of higher education, including London School of Economics; University of Würzburg; Corvinus University of Budapest; Institute of Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, Russian Academy of Sciences; and University of South Carolina.
MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Hasmik E. Gevorgyan, (2019) “The application of oral history methodology in the studies of Armenian everyday life (Armenians in Armenia: search for identity)”, Armenia 2018. Realities and Perspectives, Identity 3 (1) , Armenian Research Center in Humanities, ISBN 978-9939-9238-1-9
“Gender Aspect of Migration Processes in Armenia: an Integrative Approach”, Armenian’s around the World: Migration and Transformation, Peter Lang Edition 2015-05-27, page 271–280