The initiative promoted by the CERCA Institution focuses on engaging men in building more equal and sustainable research environments
The Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology (ICAC) hosted the first in-person workshop of the CERCA-RUMB programme, an initiative of the CERCA Institution that invites participants to reflect on leadership models and the role of men in transforming research environments.
Under the title “Leadership and Masculinity”, the session brought together around ten men from different research centres for a space of reflection and discussion on masculinities, leadership models and a gender perspective. The initiative was presented by Núria Alcaraz Coca, head of the Gender Unit of the CERCA Institution, who explained the programme’s objectives and approach.
Engaging men in change
Equality is often identified as an issue concerning women.
One of the distinctive features of CERCA-RUMB is that it specifically focuses on men. Traditionally, initiatives and training related to equality and gender perspectives have been primarily aimed at women. And when they are open to the entire community, women are often also the majority of participants.
Núria Alcaraz explains that the programme is based on the need for men to also review their roles, attitudes and leadership styles, and to take an active role in processes of change.
CERCA-RUMB consists of five workshops addressing different aspects related to masculinities and equality in research environments, with the participation of experts in the field.
Topics include, among others, incorporating a gender perspective into leadership models, the relationship between leadership and hyperproductivity, identifying and addressing gender-based violence, as well as the distribution of tasks and the persistence of feminised and masculinised roles within organisations.
The programme is based on an in-person and experiential format, with small groups that allow these issues to be explored through participants’ personal and professional experiences. Each in-person workshop will also have an adapted online version, with the aim of broadening access and making it easier for more men from CERCA centres to participate, either from their own area or by travelling to other centres.
The CERCA Institution has had a Gender Unit for more than a year and works in coordination with the gender committees of its different centres. During this time, it has also launched CERCA-REMA, a feminist mentoring programme aimed at women. The experience accumulated so far has highlighted the need to complement these initiatives with dedicated spaces for working with men.
