In the 21st century, the financial space for independent research has significantly shrunk. Particularly suffering serious cuts, social sciences and the humanities are among the disciplines whose future is most under threat – gender studies being a specifically targeted field of study. Moreover, changes in the financing and management of universities and research institutions have led to a decrease of funding for independent research and to increased competition over research resources. Even though researchers spend months of their (often unpaid) time on their research proposals, it is very common now for these to have only a 5% chance of success.