What’s happened to the gender agenda?

The legacy of women’s/gender studies

Gill Kirkup, Liz Whitelegg and Iris Rowbotham

Centre for Research for Education and Educational Technology

The Open University

Structure of the presentation• Then and now: contrasting the context of the times for

feminism and universities• The courses, our students and staff• Researching the legacy: methods and themes• Themes:

– students’ lives– impact of studying OU WGS– present-day HE context and the place of

feminism

• Is there a place for WGS in the HE curriculum today?

1980s and early 1990sUK Feminism

• Active feminist political movement: ‘WLM’

• 20 yrs. since the publication of Friedan’s ‘Feminine Mystique’

• UK 1970s Equal Pay and Equal Opportunities legislation helped increase educational and employment opportunities for women

• Many young self-identified feminists• Young feminist scholars• Feminism challenges established

thinking• New career opportunities and

earning possibilities for women with family responsibilities

• Sense of solidarity among women over gender injustices

UK Higher Education • Expansion of HE- ‘new’ universities• High quality distance education

accepted (OU) - OU took first students in 1971

• Increased recruitment of working class staff and students to HE

• Increased recruitment of women staff and students to HE

• Expansion of part-time HE• Expansion of mature entrants • Politicization of curriculum• Development of interdisciplinary

courses

NOW: 2013UK Feminism

• Feminism seen by many women as a historic movement – 2nd wave belongs to 1970s

• Many young women believe they have equality

• Feminist scholarship part of the establishment

• Many feminist scholars near retirement • Women in UK employed at similar

rates of activity as men – although more women part-time.

• Liberal feminist ‘equality’ aims generally socially accepted

• Structural inequalities still exist – some are new

• Global Feminist activism around violence, pornography, sexual exploitation, war, trafficking in women, genital mutilation

UK Higher Education • Contraction of HE• Student fees of up to £9,000 pa• Reduction in mature entrants• Contraction of curriculum• Contraction of academic staff

numbers• Fewer upwardly mobile students• Drive to deliver vocational subjects

and employability• Large % of overseas students• Online and distance education

promoted across sector• Increased use of technology for

teaching• Encouragement of private/

commercial partnerships to deliver HE

The Changing Experience of Women

Issues in Women’s Studies

Student numbers - 1983 to 1999

Students’ Age/Gender on entry

U221 1983

Male = 8.6%

U207 1992

Male = 3.9%

Students’ Qualifications on entry

U221 1983 U207 1992

Method

•Total number of alumni from the cohort : 2,943•Those giving email address invited to respond : 1,039•Responded to email: 198 (19% response rate)•From this cohort, 120 identified for more possible in-depth work•Random sampling produced 60 for interview

Current state of research project• Currently:

– 33 respondents have been interviewed– 7 declined to take part further – 12 did not respond– 4 had inactive email accounts– 6 remain to be interviewed

• Two of the respondents were male• Data is being analysed using Thematic Analysis• Earlier paper on setting up the courses: Kirkup and

Whitelegg (2013) ‘The legacy and impact of Open University women's/gender studies: 30 years on’ Gender and Education, Vol 25, Issue 1

Theme 1: Our students’ lives• Educational opportunities

• Family life and support

• Employment and life outside the family

• Students’ position on feminism

Theme 2 : Impact of the course• Memories of specific content

• Personal is Political

• Impact on confidence and career

• Solidarity with other women

• Expectations of Social Change and the impact of Feminism.

NOW: 2013UK Feminism

• Feminism seen by many women as a historic movement – 2nd wave belongs to 1970s

• Many young women believe they have equality

• Feminist scholarship part of the establishment

• Many feminist scholars near retirement • Women in UK employed at similar

rates of activity as men – although more women part-time.

• Liberal feminist ‘equality’ aims generally socially accepted

• Structural inequalities still exist – some are new

• Global Feminist activism around violence, pornography, sexual exploitation, war, trafficking in women, genital mutilation

UK Higher Education • Contraction of HE• Student fees of up to £9,000 pa• Reduction in mature entrants• Contraction of curriculum• Contraction of academic staff

numbers• Fewer upwardly mobile students• Drive to deliver vocational subjects

and employability• Large % of overseas students• Online and distance education

promoted across sector• Increased use of technology for

teaching• Encouragement of private/

commercial partnerships to deliver HE

What might role might an undergraduate interdisciplinary feminist course play in 2013?

• Who are the audience?• What do they need?• What are the issues it should address?• How would the course relate to activism?

– To which movements/organisations– And what role would it play