Vertical segregation in the Italian academic system. A case study on Sociology, before and after the 2010 Italian University Reform

The introduction of academic reform in Italy in 2010 (law 240/2010) introduced relevant changes in university governance, in the organization of research and teachingactivities, in the access to and development of academic careers. Even if the reform does notreferto the gender-equal opportunities for access and progression of careers, recent literature showed how this law marked the female presence in academic careers, especially at top-level positions.This paper examines the reform impact in vertical segregation in Italian academic sociology. The selected area of studies traditionally measures and discusses gender differences and female participation in work, power, economy, and society. A reduction of female academics in this sector, especially at top-level positions, might affect the relevance of gender studies in Italian universities. Furthermore, a female perspective on social issues has always been crucial for diversity in science and it will be even more necessary in the post-pandemic recovery time. Consequently, an impact of the mechanism of selection and progression on the female stock of sociology academics might be relevant for the continuation and progression of gender studies and for a female oriented sociological perspective in society. Through an analysis based on open data, publicly provided by the Italian Ministry of University, this paper assesses the verticalsegregation hypothesis in the academic careers of Italian sociology, using two indexes (Glass Ceiling Index, GCI, and Progression Glass Ceiling Index, PGCI) to measure vertical segregation in all the levels of academic careers, before and after the 2010 reform law. Data emerging from the analysis confirm when a reform does not expressly provide positive measures to guarantee equal opportunities for women, it creates a negative impact on the leaky pipeline in the whole academic system and even in sectors, like sociology,which should be familiar to equal opportunities and affirmative policies.