A Cultural Perspective on Gender Diversity in Computing

This chapter presents a cultural perspective for thinking about, and acting on, issues concerning gender and computer science and related fi elds. We posit and demonstrate that the notion of a gender divide in how men and women relate to computing, traditionally attributed to gender differences, is largely a result of cultural and environmental conditions. Indeed, the reasons for women entering—or not entering—the fi eld of computer science have little to do with gender and a lot to do with environment and culture as well as the perception of the fi eld. Appropriate outreach, education, and interventions in the microculture can have broad impact, increasing participation in computing and creating environments where both men and women can fl ourish. Thus, we refute the popular notion that focusing on gender differences will enhance greater participation in computing, and we propose an alternative, more constructive approach that focuses on culture. We illustrate the cultural perspective using specifi c case studies based in different geographical and cultural regions.