Oldal 13 [13]
INTRODUCTION
Brief summary of the methods applied
The research: semi-structured interview
I applied the method of semi-structured interviews during my research, which
do not carry the possibilities of the in-depth interview, but thanks to not hav¬
ing a strictly binding structure, the method allows the unearthing of the
deeper motivations of the interviewees, thus enabling the utilization of the
narrative technigue as well.
The key dimensions of the questions I addressed were as follows:
1. Early years, roots of scientific interest, family background
2. Junior researcher period, early years in science, life course models,
reconciling family and career
3. Later stages of the life course, path towards MTA
4. Domestic scholarly attitudes
The existence of certain variables have been kept in mind, e.g. the transfor¬
mation of certain family relations and career models (the permeation of du¬
al-earner family models, where even the number of children becomes a fun¬
damental issue, the resolution of which can be influenced by the amount of
requisitionable institutional assistance), other changes influencing family
structure, workplace apparati (family vs. career conflict).
A total of 32 interviews have been recorded, with 11 academicians (ordinary
or corresponding members), and 21 DScs. An important aspect during the
selection of the interviewees was to try to represent all fields of science, i.e.
both the natural and technical sciences (the fields of engineering, mathemat¬
ics, physics, geography, chemistry and medicine, in particular) and the social
sciences and liberal arts (the fields of law, sociology, literature, linguistics,
ethnology, history and philosophy). By the selection of the MTA DScs I chose
certain individuals who have already been nominated for the title of academi¬
cian. The interviews took place between December 2017 and September 2018.
The population of the scientific elite 1 began to analyse was relatively small;
only 418 women can be found in the ranks of MTA DSc’s, 24 of which are
academicians (ordinary and corresponding members). As mentioned, I have
recorded interviews with 32 of the aforementioned, and given the fact that all
of the 418 members have the same level of qualification (DSc), the sample size
of 32 members is suited for drawing universal conclusions as well.
The majority of the women participating in the research live and work in
Budapest in one of the major universities of the capital, and only 5 are teach¬
ing in the universities of other major Hungarian cities. The age of most of the
researchers at the time of the interviews was between 65 and 80. Only 4 of the
interviewees were under 60, with only one of them being under 50 - this last
case represented an absolute exception in this regard.
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