Female Scientists at Risk
The Representation of Career Challenges in Contemporary U.S. American Science Novels
Published on 8. July 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
274 pages
978-3-98940-085-6 (ISBN)
Description
To date, women are underrepresented in the natural sciences in real life, as well as in most science-related media. Through the emergent genre of science novels, readers can enter the world of science and come to understand its mechanisms of knowledge production, inclusion, and exclusion. This thesis examines the representation of the ever-evolving challenges for female scientists in contemporary U.S. American fiction. Specifically, it seeks to ascertain in how far the presented risks are gender- and career-specific. For this purpose, the study operates with a corpus of eight science novels published between 1993 and 2019 by authors with and without a background in science. It further draws on sociological theories of risk and science, as well as a methodological framework of feminist postclassical narratology, which is amended by the concept of containment strategies. Five categories of risk are employed in the analyses: financial, mental, ethical, physical, and social risk. In applying these concepts, it comes to light that science continues to produce hazards for all persons not traditionally associated with the field. Nevertheless, it is also shown that women in science, despite a range of well-known to less apparent risks, persist.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements v
List of Abbreviations vi
I. Introduction 1
II. Science in Literature 9
2.1 Science and Literature 9
2.2 The Science Novel 10
2.3 Portrayals of the Male Scientist 12
2.4 Portrayals of the Female Scientist 15
2.5 Why Representation Matters 18
III. Contemporary Western Science 21
3.1 Women in Science Today 21
3.2 Science as Masculine Activity 23
3.3 Science and the Status Quo 26
3.4 Competition in Science 27
3.5 Side Effects of Competition 30
IV. Female Scientists at Risk 33
4.1 What is Risk? 33
4.2 Scientists at Risk 38
4.3 Five Risks 46
4.3.1 Financial Risk 46
4.3.2 Mental Risk 48
4.3.3 Ethical Risk 50
4.3.4 Physical Risk 55
4.3.5 Social Risk 58
V. Methodology 62
5.1 Containment Strategies 62
5.2 Narrative Strategies 65
5.2.1 Focalization and Voice 66
5.2.2 Risk and Information 68
5.2.3 Risk and Time 71
5.2.4 Beginnings and Endings 72
5.3 Extended Strategies 75
5.3.1 Character Configurations and Space 76
5.3.2 Agency 79
VI. Financial Risk 81
6.1 Carbon Dreams 81
6.2 Triplet Code 92
6.3 Intuition 98
6.4 Conclusions 110
VII. Mental Risk 112
7.1 Saving St. Germ 112
7.2 Intuition 123
7.3 Give Me Your Hand 132
7.4 Conclusions 142
VIII. Ethical Risk 145
8.1 Triplet Code 145
8.2 Intuition 150
8.3 Cold Blood, Hot Sea 156
8.4 The DNA of You and Me 164
8.5 Conclusions 171
XI. Physical Risk 174
9.1 State of Wonder 174
9.2 Cold Blood, Hot Sea 186
9.3 Give Me Your Hand 194
9.4 Conclusions 200
X. Social Risk 203
10.1 Saving St. Germ 203
10.2 Carbon Dreams 214
10.3 Triplet Code 222
10.4 State of Wonder 227
10.5 The DNA of You and Me 233
10.6 Conclusions 239
XI. Conclusion 243
Bibliography 252
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements v
List of Abbreviations vi
I. Introduction 1
II. Science in Literature 9
2.1 Science and Literature 9
2.2 The Science Novel 10
2.3 Portrayals of the Male Scientist 12
2.4 Portrayals of the Female Scientist 15
2.5 Why Representation Matters 18
III. Contemporary Western Science 21
3.1 Women in Science Today 21
3.2 Science as Masculine Activity 23
3.3 Science and the Status Quo 26
3.4 Competition in Science 27
3.5 Side Effects of Competition 30
IV. Female Scientists at Risk 33
4.1 What is Risk? 33
4.2 Scientists at Risk 38
4.3 Five Risks 46
4.3.1 Financial Risk 46
4.3.2 Mental Risk 48
4.3.3 Ethical Risk 50
4.3.4 Physical Risk 55
4.3.5 Social Risk 58
V. Methodology 62
5.1 Containment Strategies 62
5.2 Narrative Strategies 65
5.2.1 Focalization and Voice 66
5.2.2 Risk and Information 68
5.2.3 Risk and Time 71
5.2.4 Beginnings and Endings 72
5.3 Extended Strategies 75
5.3.1 Character Configurations and Space 76
5.3.2 Agency 79
VI. Financial Risk 81
6.1 Carbon Dreams 81
6.2 Triplet Code 92
6.3 Intuition 98
6.4 Conclusions 110
VII. Mental Risk 112
7.1 Saving St. Germ 112
7.2 Intuition 123
7.3 Give Me Your Hand 132
7.4 Conclusions 142
VIII. Ethical Risk 145
8.1 Triplet Code 145
8.2 Intuition 150
8.3 Cold Blood, Hot Sea 156
8.4 The DNA of You and Me 164
8.5 Conclusions 171
XI. Physical Risk 174
9.1 State of Wonder 174
9.2 Cold Blood, Hot Sea 186
9.3 Give Me Your Hand 194
9.4 Conclusions 200
X. Social Risk 203
10.1 Saving St. Germ 203
10.2 Carbon Dreams 214
10.3 Triplet Code 222
10.4 State of Wonder 227
10.5 The DNA of You and Me 233
10.6 Conclusions 239
XI. Conclusion 243
Bibliography 252