‘In or Out’ or ‘In-And-Out’: The Social Identity Transition of Female Academics During the Perinatal Period

The career trajectories of working mothers in academia could be adversely impacted by maternity breaks given the professional demand for consistent research performance. This study employs the postmodernist perspective of identity which addresses social context to unpack in-depth accounts of female academics' social identity transition throughout their perinatal period (pregnancy till 1-year post-birth). We collected 93 critical incidents via interviews from 23 academics who completed their perinatal period between 2019 and 2022. We found the identity transition was more dynamic than linear. This enabled us to develop a multi-dimensional identity grid matrix to illustrate the varied transitional statuses these mothers encountered as a consequence of the ongoing (re)negotiation between self and social structures (in-and-out of salient social identities). Hence, the social identities of academic mothers can be betwixt among multiple identities. The findings can help HR practitioners in forming a more supportive and consensual working culture, thereby and facilitating working mothers' ability to develop positive resources for a better social-self.