Gender in Italian Political Science: the Neglected Dimension

Abstract

This special issue examines the long-standing neglect of gender within Italian political science. Despite the international relevance of gender inequality in academia, the discipline in Italy has rarely addressed it systematically. Drawing on multiple original sources -including the SISP Archive, the WIRED dataset, ASN data, and interviews with women full professors - the articles analyses women’s underrepresentation, career progression, and barriers to advancement. It also maps the emergence of gender and politics as a growing research field and reviews practices of inclusion of LGBTIQ+ scholars in academia. Together, the contributions provide a comprehensive picture of gender inequalities in Italian political science, revealing persistent structural imbalances but also new efforts and practices toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion.