This research project aims to explore the barriers encountered by women leaders in higher education institutions in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the approaches they employ to navigate these challenges. The considerable underrepresentation of women in leadership positions across higher education institutions of Azerbaijan is a key reason for undertaking the current study.

Azerbaijan is a secular republic that is fully committed to gender equality and has declared its position in its constitution and all legal documents (Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 1995). While gender disparities in higher education leadership have been extensively explored in global studies, a significant gap remains in the literature on feminist leadership in post-Soviet countries like Azerbaijan. Thus, while feminist leadership scholarship has explored the impact of power relations, gender expectations, and institutional challenges on women in leadership roles (Acker, 2012; Eagly, 2007), little attention has been paid to how these dynamics play out in the unique cultural and political environment of Azerbaijan, which is transitioning from Soviet authoritarianism to a democratic system.

This study is grounded in feminist leadership theories, with a focus on how gender, power, and organizational systems intersect (Harding, 1991, 2009; Northouse, 2021). It broadens the ongoing conversation by emphasizing unique barriers and strategies utilized by female leaders in Azerbaijani higher education. By examining the personal and professional narratives of these women, this research will address a crucial gap in the literature on gender inequality and leadership in post-Soviet contexts.

Employing a Feminist Narrative Inquiry approach (Clandinin, 2006; Woodiwiss et al., 2017), this qualitative research seeks to reveal the personal and professional challenges faced by women in academic leadership roles and the ways they address these obstacles. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with female leaders in universities (Creswell, 2017). Further, the current study is guided by Nancy Fraser’s theory of justice which provides a thorough framework for evaluating the various aspects of gender-based inequality. Thus, Fraser’s theory (Fraser, 2013), which encompasses the concepts of redistribution, recognition and representation, will allow for a more sophisticated analysis of the barriers women encounter and strategies they adopt to navigate them.

While the research is still ongoing, the findings are expected to provide valuable insights into the specific barriers women experience in academia. The results are expected to suggest significant recommendations for policymakers in Azerbaijan, supporting the enhancement of women's leadership in higher education. Thus, the study strives to broaden gender dynamics in higher education leadership and influence policies that promote empowering leadership. Finally, taking into consideration the lack of information on the understanding of barriers to promotion in Azerbaijan, the current investigation will contribute to the existing literature on gender inequality in higher education leadership.

The current study employs a qualitative research design, using Feminist Narrative Inquiry to delve into the experiences of women in leadership roles within higher education in Azerbaijan. This methodological framework focuses on the significance of personal narratives and storytelling for gaining a deep understanding of individuals' lived experiences within the context of power, gender, and institutional structures (Clandinin, 2006; Woodiwiss et al., 2017). By adopting this approach, the study aims to uncover how women in leadership roles within universities navigate their positions, while confronting and overcoming various obstacles. Data will be gathered through semi-structured interviews with female leaders in universities of Azerbaijan. Semi-structured interviews provide flexibility in the discussion, allowing the researcher to explore participants' answers more thoroughly while ensuring the conversation remains focused on the primary research objectives. The purposive sampling will be applied to select women leaders in senior administrative roles, such as rectors, vice-rectors, deans, and department heads from both public and private universities (Creswell, 2017). This study will be grounded in Nancy Fraser's Three-Dimensional Theory of Justice, which addresses justice through the lenses of redistribution, recognition, and representation (Fraser, 2013). By employing Fraser’s theory, the study will explore how women leaders in Azerbaijan challenge gender inequalities in higher education institutions. Thematic analysis, which will be utilized to analyze data, will allow the identification of key themes and patterns emerging from narratives (Creswell, 2017). This will be followed by a critical analysis to assess how the findings contribute to the understanding of gender dynamics in higher education leadership in Azerbaijan.

The present study is expected to provide a deeper understanding of the challenges, encountered by women leaders in higher education in Azerbaijan, along with strategies they employ to overcome them, applying the Feminist Narrative Inquiry approach. This ongoing investigation seeks to explore the barriers women face in academia and provide recommendations for policymakers in Azerbaijan to improve female leadership in higher education institutions. Furthermore, the current study strives to enhance the understanding of gender dynamics in leadership, shape policies that promote women’s empowerment, and contribute to the body of literature on gender inequality in higher education leadership, especially by addressing the gap in knowledge about barriers to promotion in Azerbaijan.

1.Clandinin, D. J. (2006). Narrative Inquiry: A Methodology for Studying Lived Experience. Research Studies in Music Education, 27(1), 44-54. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103X060270010301 2.Creswell, J. W. (2017). Research design. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th edition (international student edition).). SAGE Publications. 3.Fraser, N. (2013). Fortunes of Feminism: From State-Managed Capitalism to Neoliberal Crisis (1st ed.). Verso. 4.Harding, S. G. (1991). Whose science? whose knowledge? : thinking from women’s lives. Open U.P. 5.Harding, S. (2009). Standpoint Theories: Productively Controversial. Hypatia, 24(4), 192–200. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20618189 6.Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: theory and practice (Ninth edition.). Sage Publications. 7.Republic of Azerbaijan. (1995). Constitution of Azerbaijan. Baku. https://e-qanun.az/framework/897 8.Woodiwiss, J., Smith, K., & Lockwood, K. (Eds.). (2017). Feminist narrative research : opportunities and challenges. Palgrave Macmillan.