Sexism in the Seminar: Strategies for gender sensitivity in management education

Abstract

In our roles as tutors we recognise a reluctance for students, particularly men, to become involved in discussion around 'gender' with any serious level of engagement. In order to address this, we have begun developing ideas that prompt discussion in seminars on gender issues with a view to raising awareness and creating a greater sensitivity. In this paper we share with readers ideas and materials that may be used to prompt such discussion. We are particularly interested in encouraging students to address perceived sexism for themselves, rather than relying on us as tutors to deal with such gender insensitivity, thus complementing an experiential learning philosophy that underpins our management education units. Locating our understanding of 'gender' in post-structuralism, we look critically at the binary divide between the socially-constructed nature of femininity and masculinity, and question how further polarisation might be reduced. Further, we wish to encourage discussion as to how we might design and develop courses that appeal to women and men, believing that gender management is of equal importance for men and women.