Fra unntak til norm – å utvikle resiliens i et nettverk

Abstract: From Exception to Norm – the Development of Resilience in a Network Combining gender theory with research on resilience, this chapter analyzes the effects of an action research project aimed at increasing the number of women in senior research positions at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Oslo University. As a part of the project, the faculty management nominated fifteen women professors and associate professors to attend a programme to improve their skills in writing articles and research applications. Individual interviews with all participants prior to the programme revealed that they would prefer to build a network where they could share experiences and discuss various topics. The two-year programme was therefore structured as a forum where we as action researchers offered theoretical input on topics chosen by the participants and worked with dialogue tools, focusing on these topics, in a structured and time-efficient exchange of experiences. The analysis shows that resilience is an essential skill in organizations characterized by critical scrutiny and competition. In the chapter, we describe how the network participants become more resilient by reflecting themselves in, and sharing experiences with, each other. Being in a context with other recognized top researchers without being the odd one out – the woman who has to prove herself – improves the ability to cope with adversity.