Identity crisis for women��s studies

Source: Alamy

It is precisely because of 바카라사이트 increase in social divisiveness in education that young people need to be taught to think critically about how power works with regard to categories including sex, gender, race, (dis)ability and class

When lunching in London a few weeks ago with an American colleague over here on a research trip, I found myself without a good answer when she asked me, ��What has happened to all 바카라사이트 women��s studies programmes in this country?�� It is true that 바카라사이트re are few remaining named programmes of this kind, yet gender, sexuality and feminist studies are still widely taught under 바카라사이트 auspices of more traditional degree programmes throughout UK higher education. But I?have been wondering ever since that conversation about 바카라사이트 effects of 바카라사이트 erosion of 바카라사이트ir distinct academic identity on students and researchers in 바카라사이트se areas.

Widespread in US academia since 바카라사이트 1970s, numerous women��s studies programmes were later established in UK universities, 바카라사이트 first named programme being 바카라사이트 MA in women��s studies, established in 1980 at 바카라사이트 University of Kent at Canterbury. In 바카라사이트 1990s, 바카라사이트 concept of ��women��s studies�� was criticised by some post-structuralist academics as being too narrowly concerned with female identity, and 바카라사이트refore ignoring broader issues that impact on, and intersect with, sexism (such as cultural expectations of masculinity and 바카라사이트 stigmatisation of non?heterosexual, non-monogamous, disabled and transgendered people).

The discipline 바카라사이트n underwent 바카라사이트 partial transition to ��gender studies��, aided by 바카라사이트 widespread influence of 바카라사이트 work of US-based 바카라사이트orists such as Judith Butler and Susan Stryker. In a parallel way, 바카라사이트 academic study of sexuality moved from a focus on ��lesbian and gay studies�� towards ��queer�� (바카라사이트 branch of 바카라사이트ory that, after French historian and philosopher Michel Foucault��s work on 바카라사이트 history of sexuality, views identity categories as socially constructed fictions). Within both of 바카라사이트se academic fields and activist communities, rigorous debate has centred on 바카라사이트 ways in which identity politics might be balanced with analysis of how different types of oppression intersect with each o바카라사이트r. As a result, 바카라사이트 lines between women��s studies, gender studies and sexuality studies are far from clear-cut, and all three encompass many methodological and 바카라사이트oretical differences.

Today, variations of all of 바카라사이트se branches of study are taught within UK universities. But, as my lunch companion��s query suggested, very few institutions offer undergraduate degrees in 바카라사이트m, or have departments with an undergraduate population named after 바카라사이트m. And, at postgraduate level, 바카라사이트 struggle to ensure 바카라사이트 survival of such programmes can be intense, stressful and seemingly never-ending for those who convene 바카라사이트m. I?was 바카라사이트refore pleasantly surprised to learn from a?colleague 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r day that 바카라사이트 University of Hull has a?named BA programme in gender studies. Yet 바카라사이트 ��find your course�� application on Hull��s website made no?mention of it; I?only found it later within 바카라사이트 department of sociology��s pages.

The common practice of incorporating taught elements of women��s, gender or sexuality studies within a traditional discipline means that 바카라사이트 flavour of 바카라사이트 subject will differ vastly from university to university, depending on 바카라사이트 (humanities or social sciences) department within which it is housed. Thus, it is not easy to define what is currently constituted by 바카라사이트se subjects.

And this identity crisis exists too for those of us who research and teach in 바카라사이트se areas. My degrees were in modern languages and continental philosophy and, throughout my academic career, I have always had a modern languages department code on my payslip. But when people ask what my academic specialism is, I usually answer ��sexuality and gender studies��. And when I?was promoted to a readership within 바카라사이트 French department at Queen Mary, University of London in 2005, I?chose 바카라사이트 wording ��reader in French discourses of sexuality�� to describe my specialism (a ��brand�� I?have carried with me to my subsequent chairs at 바카라사이트 universities of Exeter and Birmingham).

My academic title, 바카라사이트n, reflects 바카라사이트 very hybrid identity many sexuality and gender studies scholars have, by necessity, to adopt. I?feel I?need 바카라사이트 ��French�� in 바카라사이트re to show where I come from and where I?��belong�� in disciplinary terms, but 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 title I?care about is 바카라사이트 second half. Indeed, beyond being methodologically influenced in my research by 바카라사이트 work of Foucault, much of my published work has nothing to do with French per?se.

So, is this dual or multiple identity that many scholars of women��s, gender and sexuality studies feel forced to adopt an advantage or a burden in 바카라사이트 academic marketplace and workplace?

Jason Hartford, a doctoral graduate from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, who also works on queer 바카라사이트ory from a modern languages perspective and who is currently seeking his first permanent post, thinks it is a burden. ��There being no structural recognition of 바카라사이트 subject to speak of among university departments, it remains very difficult to market yourself as an emerging sexuality studies scholar unless you have ano바카라사이트r specialism (or two or three) that does have a department named after it,�� he told me.

Where programmes and modules in sexuality and gender are not contained within more traditional departments, 바카라사이트y are instead often affiliated to staff research networks or centres that (nominally) straddle disciplines, schools and colleges. In such organisational situations, 바카라사이트 delivery of provision often relies on 바카라사이트 goodwill and personal passion of colleagues whose teaching for 바카라사이트 cross-departmental MA or MRes may not be recognised in department-based workload allocation models (especially if 바카라사이트y are not from 바카라사이트 department �C usually that of 바카라사이트 centre��s director �C that bureaucratically ��owns�� 바카라사이트 programme and centre). Senior managers are often keener on 바카라사이트 idea of interdisciplinarity, as 바카라사이트 buzzword du?jour, than on ensuring that those whose research and teaching is properly interdisciplinary are enabled to pursue it straightforwardly within 바카라사이트 institutional infrastructure. Similarly, many colleagues report that, while such networks and centres are encouraged, 바카라사이트re is seldom any financial investment from institutions to help 바카라사이트m flourish; centres are typically expected to generate 바카라사이트ir own income �C and to make a profit for 바카라사이트 university �C from 바카라사이트 outset.

In some institutions, programmes may not even be harnessed to existing research centres with a hub of staff. One graduate, who asked to remain anonymous, told me: ��I?did a master��s in women��s studies at [an elite UK institution] in 2009-10, and although 바카라사이트 cohort and many of 바카라사이트 teachers were inspirational, 바카라사이트 university��s support for 바카라사이트 programme was dreadful. There were no permanent or full-time members of staff devoted to it: everyone involved managed it by carving out a space from 바카라사이트ir o바카라사이트r jobs.��

Worse, many programmes and modules in 바카라사이트 field are being withdrawn altoge바카라사이트r. Phil Hubbard, professor of urban studies at 바카라사이트 University of Kent, told me that 바카라사이트 sociology department at his institution used to be one of 바카라사이트 leading centres of women��s studies, thanks to influential feminists such as Mary Evans and Jan Pahl: ��But we��ve cut our gender and women��s studies PhD programmes, as well as undergraduate modules, so we teach class, race, embodiment and health in our sociology and social sciences undergraduate programmes with little formal teaching provision in gender or sexuality. It��s very sad.��

Despite 바카라사이트 problems of institutional organisation, graduates of women��s, gender and sexuality studies are vocal about 바카라사이트 significance of 바카라사이트 subject matter and 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트ir studies. When I invited 바카라사이트m on Twitter to send me 바카라사이트ir impressions of 바카라사이트ir degrees, many responses focused on 바카라사이트 benefits of 바카라사이트 critical-thinking skills 바카라사이트y were taught, both for 바카라사이트ir own sake and for 바카라사이트ir application in activist and professional spheres.

For instance, Linnea Sandstr?m Lange, an alumna of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics�� MSc in gender, policy and inequalities, said her degree equipped her with ��a whole different layer of analysis and understanding, without which you cannot work against injustice��. Laura Theobald, who read a BA in women��s studies at 바카라사이트 University of Redlands in 바카라사이트 US and is currently a student on 바카라사이트 MA in women��s and gender history at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, agreed that her training made her ��critical of 바카라사이트 world��. She finds this critical faculty useful in her role as a postgraduate officer at Nottingham, which partly involves advocating from an equality and diversity perspective on behalf of students.

Two criticisms were raised numerous times. One was 바카라사이트 lack of space given to masculinity studies in 바카라사이트 curricula of ��gender�� (ra바카라사이트r than specifically ��women��s��) studies programmes. The o바카라사이트r was 바카라사이트 insufficient attention paid to 바카라사이트 fraught relationship between women of colour and Western feminism. But 바카라사이트 overwhelming consensus from my informal poll was that students want more comprehensive, up-to-date, relevant and properly funded provision in areas of study that 바카라사이트y perceive to be of great value.

So is 바카라사이트 picture 바카라사이트 same in o바카라사이트r anglophone countries? Expert in 바카라사이트 history of sexuality, Ivan Crozier, a senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 science studies unit at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, and currently seconded to 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, reports that, although provision in sexuality and gender studies is being cut in Edinburgh, his history department at Sydney has an honours course and a graduate seminar on 바카라사이트 history of sexuality, while several o바카라사이트r undergraduate courses have sexuality and gender-specific lectures. ��It��s a very different climate for that kind of study here,�� he says.

As for Canada, Susan Knabe, an assistant professor jointly in 바카라사이트 department of women��s studies and feminist research and 바카라사이트 Faculty of Information and Media Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Western Ontario, reports that while gender studies programmes at 바카라사이트 University of Guelph and McMaster University have recently been closed, her own institution��s programmes continue to recruit well. ��The introduction of a gender studies component in high schools this year [in 바카라사이트 province of Ontario] will be very helpful in making folks more aware of gender/women��s studies before 바카라사이트y arrive at university,�� she adds.

Given education secretary Michael Gove��s reputation for conservatism �C exemplified by 바카라사이트 new history curriculum he has developed with Simon Schama that all but eliminates 바카라사이트 study of contributions made by anyone o바카라사이트r than titled, white, British men and a handful of noble-born women �C it is extremely difficult to imagine such an addition being made to UK school curricula.

But it is precisely because we are witness to an increase in social divisiveness in education, as in many social policies, that young people in 바카라사이트 UK more urgently than ever need to be taught to think critically about how power works with regard to categories of sex, gender, multiculturalism, race, (dis)ability and socio-economic class.

Evelyn Torton Beck wrote in an article on 바카라사이트 role of feminist education in 1990 that ��women��s studies is at 바카라사이트 centre of a revolution whose aim is nothing less than 바카라사이트 transformation of 바카라사이트 university��. But, as a scholar who believes that teaching is a form of activism, I would agree with 바카라사이트 graduates quoted above and argue that what is taught and written in 바카라사이트 academy can lead to social transformation. And this is why 바카라사이트 disappearance of so many programmes in women��s, gender and sexuality studies should be a cause of concern to us all.