This chapter summarizes recent and ongoing experimental work regarding the reality, nature, effects, and causes of the underrepresentation of women in academic philosophy. It first presents empirical data on several aspects of underrepresentation, and then considers various reasons why this gender imbalance is problematic. The chapter turns to the published and preliminary results of empirical work aimed at identifying factors that might explain it. It indicates fruitful avenues for future research and suggests how such studies can contribute to understanding underrepresentation across disciplines and underrepresented groups, and to understanding the relevance of the humanities to society as a whole. Finally, the issue of gender underrepresentation in academic philosophy occurs within a context in which the value of the humanities in general is being questioned and in which there is underrepresentation of other groups such as people of color in academia in general.
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