Feminism and Science: Teaching and Learning 'Science in the Making' (original) (raw)
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Women's Studies International Forum, 2005
This paper focuses on the experiences and perceptions of gender inequality by undergraduates at a British University with strong historical traditions. Contrary to a ‘post-feminist’ rhetoric stating that gender inequalities no longer exist in higher education in the UK, or at least not at an undergraduate level, results of a questionnaire and interviews show that gender inequality does still persist in this institutional setting. However, we also found reluctance among students, particularly female students, to recognise or articulate this as discrimination. Instead, there was a tendency to downplay or deny such inequalities, and resistance to such matters being raised. Drawing on existing literature in the field, we suggest this might be a ‘coping mechanism’, as well as indicative of the ‘post-feminist’ milieu. The paper then reflects on the implications of these findings, particularly for those seeking to address gender inequalities in such an institutional environment. Drawing on identity politics theory, as well as the authors' own activist experiences, we argue that while recognising women as a discriminated group may promote gender differentiation, this may still go some way towards practically combating ‘androcentric norms’ [Fraser, Nancy (1995). From redistribution to recognition? Dilemmas of justice in a ‘post-socialist’ age, New Left Review, 212, 68–93.] and thus gender inequality in universities.
International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 2013
Based on the responses to four Semi-structured interview schedules and one check list of 400 postgraduate students in Vidyasagar University in West Bengal, this article investigates the influence of gender stereotyping on women's higher education. Several indicators are considered and investigated using non-parametric technique. Given the overall patriarchal structure of Indian society, the results indicate that higher education system is not sufficient itself for developing the right attitudes among today's young adults that needed to succeed in a democratic country-where human dignity is respected.
Everyday sexism in higher education: narratives of women in Indian academia
The aim of this article is to explore the experiences of different women in higher educational institutions in India. Through this piece the authors investigate how the prevalence of sexism is affecting women in academia in general and their everyday professional negotiations in particular. Furthermore, the article reviews the position of women in higher administrative responsibilities, and academic positions and also views the mundane everyday activities visa -vis their experiences of sexism in different universities across India. It is argued that sexism is pervasive in academic institutions in India, but often goes unnoticed and unaddressed in spite of various mechanisms and sensitization programs adopted by the Universities to address the prevailing issues of sexism across academic spaces. Gendered experiences of women have crippling and debilitating implications for women in general and more so it affects their career prospects in universities. in the process it perpetuates patriarchal power structures and hierarchies in the workplace ARTICLE HISTORY
Moments of Discontent: University Women and the Gender Status Quo
Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 1988
studies of schooling. The causes of differential educational outcomes-by class and race (or minority statusbwere debated, but not in explicit connection to social theory. Instead, in the empirical tradition, researchers studied student characteristics, such as "cultural differences," and school mechanisms, such as tracking, that lead to differential student outcomes. Anthropology's version of this trend resulted in numerous ethnographic studies of schools and analyses of the structural and attitudinal barriers faced by lower-income and minority children (e.g.
Gender Sadism in Academia: Voices of Female Students in Higher Education
This paper presents the gender biased experiences and inequality of undergraduate and graduate level female students of Nepal. Qualitative research methodology was applied for this study. A total of seventeen respondents along with college officials from two campuses participated in the study. The findings revealed that female students experienced a sense of fear and, consequently felt timid about reporting negative academic experiences. They perceived themselves as inferior student scholars due to pregnancy, having a child or for being married. Faculty members mostly favor male students and female students' comments and/or saying were not regarded as legitimate and not considered important in classroom discussion, decision-making and other curricular activities. As a result, they felt isolated in educational activities. The environment of the campuses and local culture was also perceived as one of the broader factors that impede gender balance and gender responsive activities within the academia. The findings contradict some physical problem between undergraduate and graduate level students but correspond about the support perceived in field works, practical works and some cultural aspects. However, this study concludes that colleges are not gender friendly in terms of academic delivery, curricular/co-curricular activities, practical works and assignments in one or another ways. Since there is no system to hearing the grievances of female students, a female help desk center to facilitate female students in each college would be fruitful to address the issues of female students.
Gender Sadism in Academia: Voices of Female Students in Higher Education Nepal
Journal of Interdisciplinary Sciences, 2018
This paper presents the gender biased experiences and inequality of undergraduate and graduate level female students of Nepal. Qualitative research methodology was applied for this study. A total of seventeen respondents along with college officials from two campuses participated in the study. The findings revealed that female students experienced a sense of fear and, consequently felt timid about reporting negative academic experiences. They perceived themselves as inferior student scholars due to pregnancy, having a child or for being married. Faculty members mostly favor male students and female students' comments and/or saying were not regarded as legitimate and not considered important in classroom discussion, decision-making and other curricular activities. As a result, they felt isolated in educational activities. The environment of the campuses and local culture was also perceived as one of the broader factors that impede gender balance and gender responsive activities within the academia. The findings contradict some physical problem between undergraduate and graduate level students but correspond about the support perceived in field works, practical works and some cultural aspects. However, this study concludes that colleges are not gender friendly in terms of academic delivery, curricular/co-curricular activities, practical works and assignments in one or another ways. Since there is no system to hearing the grievances of female students, a female help desk center to facilitate female students in each college would be fruitful to address the issues of female students.
Gender crisis has become one of the emerging and prominent paradigms within the ever increasing deepening crisis of the university education system in India and beyond. With increased gender sensitization globally, there have been claims of a positive impact on University students and staffs who identify themselves as women, Queer, Trans, LGBT+ in India. For the sake of focused precision, and due to lack of time, this paper concentrates on those who identify themselves as women both within and outside the university structure. There seems to be a general notion that, if more women are put in the leading prominent posts of the university, then this crisis would be solved. However, it is not that simple. While many women are becoming professors and senior academic staff, and many are obtaining scholarships, there however has been no substantial systemic Change towards Gender Justice and, indeed, no change for the majority of women in the patriarchal society we live in. The loud masculine-voice, which has and often continues to be the sole voice of the male dominated university, has now been transferred, with careful precision, to the handful of women who are now climbing into the upper rungs of the university system, thereby maintaining and holding up the status quo of the patriarchal university structure. Colonial Bourgeois Feminism is being misused to segregate women, who have the privilege of being a part of the Eurocentric University system of Miseducation on the one hand; and on the other hand, women who are still excluded, primarily on the basis of class, caste, race, age and alternative knowledge systems. Although, Black Feminism since 1989, has gifted the world with the theoretical perspective of Intersectionality, these theories do not make much sense to say, a woman farmer living in rural India, mostly occupied with her farming which is her livelihood. This paper attempts to focus and bring the Gender Justice demands of rural women for more than the usual Education, indeed for Cognitive Justice, from their community spaces of Lifelong Learning, by analysing the specific case of the Siddi Women in Karnataka, India. The Siddi women's demands through Our Communities Deserve Better Campaign (OCDBC) proposes more just, meaningful and sustainably viable solutions to the deepening crisis which universities in India and beyond face in the shifting paradigm of gender sensitization.
Importance of Gender Studies in Indian Academia: Some Observations
International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews , 2021
The concept of gender, which is different from sex, is a social construct and a construction in the mind so as to perceive what is masculine and what is feminine, in temperament and behavior. Living in the twenty-first century and the beginning of the third decade of the century, we are almost at the peak of Civilization and Globalization. But the concept of gender and the assigned roles to the sexes according to their gender have still remained the same, and therefore the discrimination on the basis of gender persists. The plight of the “second sex” has always remained throughout the ages and the devil behind all the sufferings has been patriarchy. In a patriarchal society, which is also heteronormative the suffering and discrimination is on the basis of not only gender but also the various sexualities. And herein enters the role of Academia which is very important. Ancient India had a comparatively liberal outlook in its tolerant approach to gender and sexual deviants, unlike the present times where the society and the legal system have failed to do so much as acknowledge their very existence, and looking at queer society in the postcolonial era has been one of absolute discrimination and inequality. The isolation and sufferings of the LGBTQA+ community, have been the consequence of the same. The recent update and inclusion of queer/gender studies in the Academia, bringing visibility to some extent to the otherwise invisible Queer Culture is important. This paper would discuss why Gender Studies is important in Indian Academia, and its role in challenging patriarchal notions and in moulding the heteronormative perspective towards tolerance and acceptance. This will focus on how the concept of gender has been dealt with throughout the ages and also try to suggest possible changes that should be undertaken for more acceptance and enlightenment about the actuality of Queer Culture.