Cutting to Gender: Teaching Gender in International Relations

Abstract

Female genital mutilation (cutting or surgery) (FGM) is an issue that epitomizes the changing nature of incorporating gender in teaching International Relations. Put simply, by increasing our attention to issues of concerns to women, like FGM, in International Relations classrooms and texts we begin to recognize the importance of these to the study of International Relations (IR). Yet without paying attention to how these issues reflect on the nature and directions of International Relations, we run the risk of sensationalizing or trivializing complicated issues like FGM and limiting our understanding of the interplay between gender, race, class, ability, and International Relations. This article explores several different approaches used to incorporate gender in International Relations teaching, including some analysis of texts, including: “see no evil, hear no evil and teach no evil,”“add women and stir,” multiple paradigms, and creating gendered IR. It suggests that until we use an integrative and transformative approach to gender in our teaching, we will continue to marginalize gender concerns. In the final section, the article discusses the challenges of resources and cultural narrowness and challenges to pedagogy when incorporating gender in International Relations teaching.