whats happened to the gender agenda
DESCRIPTION
Presentation given at Educating Women Conference . Christchurch University, Kent UK 18.07.2013. The presentation looks at on our findings from interviews with past students; focusing on the impact the courses had on their personal and public lives. It reports on on our findings from interviews with past students; focusing on the impact the courses had on their personal and public lives.TRANSCRIPT
What’s happened to the gender agenda?
The legacy of women’s/gender studies
Gill Kirkup, Liz Whitelegg and Iris Rowbotham
Centre for Research for Education and Educational Technology
The Open University
Structure of the presentation• Then and now: contrasting the context of the times for
feminism and universities• The courses, our students and staff• Researching the legacy: methods and themes• Themes:
– students’ lives– impact of studying OU WGS– present-day HE context and the place of
feminism
• Is there a place for WGS in the HE curriculum today?
1980s and early 1990sUK Feminism
• Active feminist political movement: ‘WLM’
• 20 yrs. since the publication of Friedan’s ‘Feminine Mystique’
• UK 1970s Equal Pay and Equal Opportunities legislation helped increase educational and employment opportunities for women
• Many young self-identified feminists• Young feminist scholars• Feminism challenges established
thinking• New career opportunities and
earning possibilities for women with family responsibilities
• Sense of solidarity among women over gender injustices
UK Higher Education • Expansion of HE- ‘new’ universities• High quality distance education
accepted (OU) - OU took first students in 1971
• Increased recruitment of working class staff and students to HE
• Increased recruitment of women staff and students to HE
• Expansion of part-time HE• Expansion of mature entrants • Politicization of curriculum• Development of interdisciplinary
courses
NOW: 2013UK Feminism
• Feminism seen by many women as a historic movement – 2nd wave belongs to 1970s
• Many young women believe they have equality
• Feminist scholarship part of the establishment
• Many feminist scholars near retirement • Women in UK employed at similar
rates of activity as men – although more women part-time.
• Liberal feminist ‘equality’ aims generally socially accepted
• Structural inequalities still exist – some are new
• Global Feminist activism around violence, pornography, sexual exploitation, war, trafficking in women, genital mutilation
UK Higher Education • Contraction of HE• Student fees of up to £9,000 pa• Reduction in mature entrants• Contraction of curriculum• Contraction of academic staff
numbers• Fewer upwardly mobile students• Drive to deliver vocational subjects
and employability• Large % of overseas students• Online and distance education
promoted across sector• Increased use of technology for
teaching• Encouragement of private/
commercial partnerships to deliver HE
The Changing Experience of Women
Issues in Women’s Studies
Student numbers - 1983 to 1999
Students’ Age/Gender on entry
U221 1983
Male = 8.6%
U207 1992
Male = 3.9%
Students’ Qualifications on entry
U221 1983 U207 1992
Method
•Total number of alumni from the cohort : 2,943•Those giving email address invited to respond : 1,039•Responded to email: 198 (19% response rate)•From this cohort, 120 identified for more possible in-depth work•Random sampling produced 60 for interview
Current state of research project• Currently:
– 33 respondents have been interviewed– 7 declined to take part further – 12 did not respond– 4 had inactive email accounts– 6 remain to be interviewed
• Two of the respondents were male• Data is being analysed using Thematic Analysis• Earlier paper on setting up the courses: Kirkup and
Whitelegg (2013) ‘The legacy and impact of Open University women's/gender studies: 30 years on’ Gender and Education, Vol 25, Issue 1
Theme 1: Our students’ lives• Educational opportunities
• Family life and support
• Employment and life outside the family
• Students’ position on feminism
Theme 2 : Impact of the course• Memories of specific content
• Personal is Political
• Impact on confidence and career
• Solidarity with other women
• Expectations of Social Change and the impact of Feminism.
NOW: 2013UK Feminism
• Feminism seen by many women as a historic movement – 2nd wave belongs to 1970s
• Many young women believe they have equality
• Feminist scholarship part of the establishment
• Many feminist scholars near retirement • Women in UK employed at similar
rates of activity as men – although more women part-time.
• Liberal feminist ‘equality’ aims generally socially accepted
• Structural inequalities still exist – some are new
• Global Feminist activism around violence, pornography, sexual exploitation, war, trafficking in women, genital mutilation
UK Higher Education • Contraction of HE• Student fees of up to £9,000 pa• Reduction in mature entrants• Contraction of curriculum• Contraction of academic staff
numbers• Fewer upwardly mobile students• Drive to deliver vocational subjects
and employability• Large % of overseas students• Online and distance education
promoted across sector• Increased use of technology for
teaching• Encouragement of private/
commercial partnerships to deliver HE
What might role might an undergraduate interdisciplinary feminist course play in 2013?
• Who are the audience?• What do they need?• What are the issues it should address?• How would the course relate to activism?
– To which movements/organisations– And what role would it play