Date of Award
1-1-2010
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Higher Education
First Advisor
Franklin A. Tuitt, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Lynn Gangone
Third Advisor
Tamra P. d'Estree
Keywords
Administration, Epistemology, Gender, Higher education, Leaders
Abstract
In an American postsecondary context, conflict is inherent (Gianneschi & Yanagiura, 2006; Valian, 1999). Successful navigation of conflict in the academy is vital for those who aspire to leadership positions (Nadler & Nadler, 1987; Walters, Stuhlmacher, & Meyer, 1998). Presently, however, women face significant barriers to achieving success in higher education administration, including gender expectations for conflict resolution behavior (Bartunek, 1992; Bowles, Babcock, & McGinn, 2005; Gayle, Preiss, & Allen, 2002).
While a considerable body of literature exists for understanding gender negotiation, it remains rooted in a masculine paradigm (Kolb & Putnam, 2006; Shuter & Turner, 1997), and, as such, established theories lack a feminist epistemological perspective. Consequently, my primary research question is, How do women leaders experience and perceive conflict in the higher education work environment? I conduct a qualitative study that examines workplace conflict experiences of 15 women leaders from diverse personal and professional backgrounds.
Hartsock's (1983) three-tiered gender-sensitive analysis of power, updated to include multicultural perspectives, serves as my theoretical framework. It is a lens through which I evaluate theories, finding multicultural organizational, higher education conflict, and gender negotiation theories most applicable to this study. The framework also creates the foundation upon which I build my study. Specifically, I determine that a feminist research method is most relevant to this investigation.
To analyze data obtained through in depth interviews, I employ a highly structured form of grounded theory called dimensional analysis. Based on my findings, I co-construct with study participants a Feminist Conflict Process Theory and Flowchart in which initially the nature of the relationship, and subsequently the level of risk to the relationship, institution, or self, is evaluated.
This study supports that which is observed in the conflict resolution practitioner literature, but is unique in its observation of factors that influence decisions within a dynamic conflict resolution process. My findings are significant to women who aspire to serve in leadership positions in higher education, as well as to the academy as a whole, for it expands our knowledge of women's ontological and epistemological perspectives on resolving conflict in postsecondary education.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Maureen C. Silva
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
en
File Size
356 p.
Recommended Citation
Silva, Maureen C., "Women Leaders Resolving Conflict in Higher Education: A Feminist Epistemological Perspective" (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 928.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/928
Conflict Process Flow Chart
Copyright date
2010
Discipline
Higher Education, Epistemology, Gender Studies