A Feminist Manifesto for Education / Edition 1

by Miriam E. David

Overview

The idea that gender equality in education has been achieved is now a staple of public debate. As a result, educational policies and practices often do not deal explicitly with gender issues, such as sexual abuse, harassment or violence. Exaggeration of neoliberalism’s successes in creating individual opportunity in education conceals ongoing problems and ignores the continuing need for a fair and equal education for all, regardless of gender or sexuality.

In this manifesto for education, Miriam David rejects the notion that gender equality has been achieved in our age of neoliberalism. She puts the focus back onto issues such as changing patterns of women’s and girls’ participation in education across the globe, feminist strategies for policy and legal interventions around human rights, and violence against women and children. She discusses waves of feminism linked to school-teaching and pedagogies in higher education as well as an illuminating case study of an international educational programme to challenge gender-related violence.

Revealing neoliberal education to be ‘misogyny masquerading as metrics’, Miriam David argues for changes in the patriarchal rules of the game, including questioning ‘gender norms’ and stereotypical binaries, and for making personal, social, health and sexuality education mainstream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781509504275
Publisher:	Polity Press
Publication date:	10/10/2016
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Miriam E. David is Emeritus Professor at the UCL Institute of Education. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Academy of Social Sciences.

Table of Contents

Introduction
PART 1: Socio-Cultural and Political Backgrounds and Contexts
Chapter 1: Feminist Research on Gender and Education
Chapter 2: Political Changes on Gender Equality in Education
Chapter 3: Feminist Political Campaigns on Gender and Violence
PART 2: Feminist Waves about Gender Equalities and Gender Violence
Chapter 4: Changing Political Landscapes of Feminism: Waves and Educational Values?
Chapter 5: Challenging Gender Violence for Children and Young People through Education
Chapter 6: Reflections on a Feminist Educational Manifesto

Editorial Reviews

"Gender eqaulity in our time? Not in education, argues David in this important work."
Times Higher Education Supplement

"At the heart of this rousing book is a call not to forget the gains and legacies of earlier feminist reforms while recognising the work that still needs to be done in new social and political circumstances and in response to obdurate problems of gender-related violence. […] Confronting and keeping visible these challenges for contemporary feminism, in the context of documenting its history of activism, is a key achievement of this fine book."
Julie McLeod, British Journal of Sociology of Education Review Symposium

A Feminist Manifesto for Education […] opens up a generative space for further interrogation of what education to counter violence (in all its modes) might look like, and what might be its accompanying dangers. […] David's thoughtful book provokes important questions about how educators seeking to counter GRV [gender-related violence] and VAWG [violence against women and girls] might fold in discussions of violence perpetrated by individuals against other individuals with the violence of the state."
Eve Mayes, British Journal of Sociology of Education Review Symposium

"A passionate analysis of why we need to change 'the rules of the patriarchal and sexist game.' With scrupulous research and fascinating insights into a number of ongoing projects, Miriam David provides the necessary tools for all contemporary educators, and citizens, to start this vital task."
Melissa Benn writes regularly for the Guardian and the New Statesman and is the author of The Truth About Our Schools

"Once again, Miriam David leaves no stone unturned. Toggling back and forth between her comprehensive genealogy of past and present feminist interventions in gender and education and her important call for innovative feminist pedagogies and practices, David delivers a critical blueprint for transforming education for children and young people that will ultimately rid us of gender-related violence not only in the future but in the here and now."
Ileana Jiménez, founder of Feminist Teacher

"Miriam David’s vigorous manifesto for feminism and education brings together many strands of her work. She recognizes changes in feminism, and worldwide gains in girls' access to schooling - but also resistance, rising misogyny and sexualization, and continuing gendered violence. A strong, informed argument for new educational strategies for gender justice."
Raewyn Connell, University of Sydney

"Miriam David draws our attention to a lack of commitment on the part of governments to take consistent, comprehensive and supportive approaches to gender related violence.[...] Do read this strong and important book. [...] The issues have not gone away: they have become more urgent."
Critical Professional Learning

From the Publisher