Abstract
Previous research identifies the importance of feminist knowledge
for improving gender equity, economic prosperity and social
justice for all. However, there are difficulties in embedding
feminist knowledge in higher education curricula. Across England,
undergraduate sociology is a key site for acquiring feminist
knowledge. In a study of four English sociology departments, Basil
Bernstein’s theoretical concepts and Madeleine Arnot’s notion of
gender codes frame an analysis indicating that sociology curricula
in which feminist knowledge is strongly classified in separate
modules is associated with more women being personally
transformed. Men’s engagement with feminist knowledge is low
and it does not become more transformative when knowledge is
strongly classified. Curriculum, pedagogy and gender codes are all
possible contributors to these different relationships with feminist
knowledge across the sample of 98 students.
for improving gender equity, economic prosperity and social
justice for all. However, there are difficulties in embedding
feminist knowledge in higher education curricula. Across England,
undergraduate sociology is a key site for acquiring feminist
knowledge. In a study of four English sociology departments, Basil
Bernstein’s theoretical concepts and Madeleine Arnot’s notion of
gender codes frame an analysis indicating that sociology curricula
in which feminist knowledge is strongly classified in separate
modules is associated with more women being personally
transformed. Men’s engagement with feminist knowledge is low
and it does not become more transformative when knowledge is
strongly classified. Curriculum, pedagogy and gender codes are all
possible contributors to these different relationships with feminist
knowledge across the sample of 98 students.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | CTHE1155551 |
| Pages (from-to) | 442-456 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Teaching in Higher Education |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 15 Mar 2016 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Mar 2016 |
Keywords
- Gender codes; curriculum; pedagogy; qualitative analysis; academic disciplines
