Undermined and Interrupted: Mansplaining as Epistemic Exclusion in Academia

Abstract

This qualitative case study investigates how two cisgender heterosexual women faculty members at a university in Cagayan de Oro City interpreted and navigated mansplaining, defined as a communicative behavior in which men explain matters to women in a condescending or dismissive manner, within their academic workplace. Through semi-structured interviews, the study examines the enactment of mansplaining, the contexts in which it arises, and its implications for women's professional authority. The findings indicate that mansplaining operates as a gendered communicative practice embedded in institutional hierarchies, manifesting through interruptions, dismissal of expertise, and patronizing explanations by men in positions of authority. Participants' responses were shaped by cultural norms emphasizing respect, harmony, and endurance. The study underscores the necessity for gender-sensitive policies and institutional mechanisms that affirm the expertise and authority of women academics in higher education.