Abstract

Gender studies in engineering have gained significant momentum in recent decades, particularly those that examine disciplinary culture. However, more research addressing the bodily or spatial perspectives remains to be done. This article contributes to understanding the relationship between embodied experience, knowledge experience, and the sense of belonging for women and Othered bodies in engineering. Using empirical data from 15 focus groups conducted across five universities in three cities in Chile, and employing an inductive qualitative approach, we demonstrate how a male bodily norm on engineering campuses continues to dictate who can be heard in the field of knowledge. This norm limits the recognition of ‘bodies perceived as out of place’ as valid bearers of knowledge. Our findings highlight the complex interplay between gender, body, and knowledge within engineering student communities.