EDucation & GEnder. Gender-specific education in different countries: historical aspects – current trends

Abstract

EDucation & GEnder is written for researchers and students. But the book has broader significance. It’s an eye-opener for anyone interested in gender and racial equity, socialising children through education, and the change process itself. Feminists and social activists will discover (or rediscover) from the trends and histories of the 12 countries portrayed in EDucation & GEnder just how hard it is to achieve lasting social change. A battle won today is not necessarily a secured gain tomorrow! Interest, understanding and commitment come in waves; agents of change and thought leaders shift, and battles need to be fought again and again. Most of the countries examined have been working for decades – a few go back centuries – to overcome stereotypes that limit the role of women in society. The focus is on the power of education and the schooling of girls (and boys). The forces of change are virtually identical across the cultural settings studied. (Common sense alone suggests that they are applicable elsewhere, including my own country, the USA.) Those forces are: Politics! Religion! The Media! Education Policy! Women’s Organisations! Although specifics vary by culture, EDucation & GEnder shows that regardless of national context all of these forces have a powerful role in shaping public social attitudes about the proper role of women and girls. Acting alone or in concert, they either promote new social thinking or restrict it. In progressive periods, the countries have made substantial gains in gender equality education. In regressive periods, those gains are often reversed. In some cases, change for the good has been inspired by democratic impulses, an admired nation, or a single leader. Some has been sparked by international pressure, especially the United Nations’ long commitment to gender equality. Some has come from