MAKING GENDER A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION - A MISSION (IM) POS-SIBLE IN THE 21TH CENTURY?! STUDENTS OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES AS AN EXAMPLE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ACADEMIA

Abstract

Higher education is supposed to create open-minded graduates within social topics. General assump-tions about educational science transfer a quiet sensitive picture across in particular gender issues and the awareness of gender inequalities. In contrast to other disciplines, scientific debates about gender issues do have a long tradition, even if not always thematised as such. The curriculum of educational science offers a wide range of so called gender-seminars, where students can spend time on gender related topics and the awareness of gender equality. Women are overrepresented among educational students and regarding to a “new deal for young women” (McRobbie 2009), which may influence the way young woman and men think about the importance of gender-related topics, the question about the relevance of gender and gender issues for the discipline of educational studies often remains vague. According to this following research questions arose: how do students of educational science discuss gender issues, how does a de-articulation form gender issues, and how is rhetoric equality produced among university students of educational science. The data are based on a qualitative empirical survey composed of four group discussions carried out with 14 university students of educational studies from German speaking universities. The aim was to reconstruct and analyse both - an individual and collective - understanding or interpretations regarding gender issues. The findings of this study have revealed that the reflection of gender issues and talking about gender is somehow caught between gender equality, difference and usurpation. This takes into account the mechanisms and masking effects of neoliberal activation. Deliberations about how educational studies can handle these challenges should imply a gender-reflected understanding of learning and educational processes. Key words: gender, de-examination of gender issues, higher education, university students