Feminist theory

Isaac Muasya
November 2023
 Feminist Theory
• The impact feminism has had upon society is
clear

• Feminist theory is a branch of sociology and an

extension of feminism into academic discourse.

• Sociologists have highlighted the contributions of

feminist theory on education; regarding the
education system, most feminists believe the
education system reinforces patriarchy and/or
inequality.

• One example is Heaton and Lawson (1996), who

argue the hidden curriculum supports gender
roles.

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 Feminist
Perspective

The feminist perspective of

sociology grew apace in the
education scenario,
providing a bolder and
enhanced voice to the
agenda of the women’s
movement, and literature on
the same
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 Feminist Theory
Aims of feminist
Importance of theory in
feminist theory education
of Education

• The Feminist theory • Feminist perspectives on

of education helps us education help us
understand gender
understand historical
differences in education,
reasons for
gender socialization and how
the education system can
underachievement, and
factor in the formation of gender socialisation and
gendered identities how the education
system can factor into the
• Feminists believe formation of gendered
the education system identities.
reinforces patriarchy and
gender inequality
 Feminist Theory
• Feminists argue that other sociological theories,
such as Functionalism and Marxism,
are malestream.

• This means women and girls are discussed within

the appendages of men and boys.

• Most people are preoccupied with understanding

and explaining things only through men's
experiences - issues of patriarchy and gender
inequality, how it oppresses women, and how
sexual and gender minorities are largely ignored.

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 What is feminist theory of
education?
• The Feminist theory of education helps us understand
gender differences in education, gender socialization and
how the education system can factor in the formation of
gendered identities.

• Therefore, it is important to understand feminist theory of

education and how education impacts gender equality.

• What does feminist perspective mean in sociology?

• Feminist perspective in sociology means that an issue is

considered with particular regard to gendered differences.

• Therefore, feminist perspectives will look at how an issue

(for example, underachievement in education) will affect
girls and women in particular.

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 The Importance of
Feminist theory of
Education
• Feminists believe the education system reinforces
patriarchy and gender inequality.

• Feminists analyse the school curriculum from

a gendered perspective.

• Feminist argue that education plays a major role

in promoting gender inequalities in society
through classroom interactions, labeling and
school curriculum.

• They highlight the existence of a gendered

curriculum within schools.

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Aims of Feminist Theory in
Education
• Feminist perspectives on • Radical feminists assert
education help us understand that men and boys are
historical reasons for naturally inclined to
underachievement, and
exploit and oppress
gender socialization and how
the education system can women and girls
factor into the formation of
gendered identities.
• Radical feminists believe
the education
• Radical feminists argue that system needs a massive
education is a patriarchal restructuring.
social institution.
• They argue that even with
• They believe the role of
education is to reinforce the legal changes pushed
patriarchal ideology and by liberal feminists,
normalise the oppression of gender stereotyping is still
women and girls. pervasive in education.

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Feminism and the role and
function of education
• Feminist sociologists partly agree with
Functionalists and Marxists about the role and
functions of education.

• For example, like Talcott Parsons, they see

education as an agent of secondary socialisation.

• However, feminists believe:

a) Education transmits patriarchal norms and values
and gender scripts.
b) Education legitimises patriarchy and teaches
women and girls to accept their position in society.

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 Feminism and the role and
function of education Cont.
• Although there is a common agreement among feminist
sociologists, there are many perspectives on the function and role
of education. Some feminists argue:
• Education upholds white supremacy through the teaching of
Eurocentric and whitewashed histories.
• Education reinforces European capitalist
heteropatriarchy, meaning it teaches children that the nuclear
family is natural and the only legitimate family.
• Capitalist heteropatriarchy is a cultural and socio-political system
where European/Euro-American heterosexual men dominate women
and sexual minorities.
• White teachers have contributed to the oppression of non-white
children and in maintaining inequality in education.
• Cherng and Halpin (2016) found that pupils, including white pupils,
had a more favourable perception of teachers of colour than white
teachers.
• This was partially due to the discrimination pupils faced in school.

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 Education and legal
changes
• There are several government • Subject choices are still
initiatives that aimed to raise gendered; girls are more
female achievement in likely to choose English and
education. Humanities subjects.

• Give examples here: • Also, fewer girls go into STEM

than boys.
• As it exists today, education
promotes equality and individual • There have been considerable
autonomy by giving pupils and improvements in girls’
students choice and a voice. education, but subject
choices are still gendered.
• Girls can choose what they want
to study and are encouraged to • Boys and men still dominate
advocate for themselves. sciences; historically, science
has been used to justify
• Due to legal changes, there are limiting women and girls’
now more roles for women and bodily autonomy.
girls in education.

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 Gender stereotyping in
schools
• Schools socialise children into • The impact teachers
gender roles. have on the formation
• Girls are stereotyped as being of gender identity
more emotionally mature cannot be ignored.
than boys.
• It has been found
• They are also seen as quiet teachers would
and docile, while boys are
reprimand boys for
seen stereotyped as being
emotionally immature and 'behaving like a girl',
dominant. while also teasing
boys if they
• Gender stereotyping teaches underperformed.
girls to be submissive and
boys to dominate

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Gendered violence in school
• Girls are subjected to • Education and schools
many normalised forms of have been accused of
inequalities and violence. creating a culture of
impunity; this is when
• sexual bullying and people can do whatever
harassment are they want because they
widespread in schools, know they will not face any
particularly in mixed consequences for their
schools actions.

• girls at mixed-sex schools Radical feminists recognise

have been sexually how the hidden
harassed while at school, curriculum, normalises
this happens because of gender violence in schools,
power; boys want power influences subject choice and
over girls perpetuates inequalities.

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Educational implications of
feminist theory

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1) Implications of more female
role models in education
• More than ever, women can now see more educated
role models in the workplace, except for a few
academies that legally place women who do not have
a degree as teachers.

• Most pupils in educational settings will be led by a

teacher who has completed not only a degree but a
teaching qualification.

• The feminisation of the curriculum also means

women are more likely to be studied at school,
contributing to a greater sense of pride.

• In addition, there are many women teachers in

Kenyan schools, this is likely impact career
aspirations of the students

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 2) Implications of changing
career aspirations in
education
• Girls now have greater career aspirations than
they did in the past.

• Sharpe (1976, 1994) studies highlight this,

women in the 1970/80s aspired to be mothers,
and young women who did enter the workforce
were more likely to do so at the lower end,
working in administration or retail.

• By the 1990s, more women had grander career

aspirations; one reason being the relationship
breakdowns they saw surrounding them.

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3) Implications of feminisation
of the curriculum on
education
• Education and the learning/teaching strategies
now engaged could arguably be geared towards
girls, thus contributing to their betterment more
so than boys.

• The feminisation of the curriculum could arguably

be one reason boys underachieve comparatively
to girls.

• Education may increasingly be becoming a

female domain.

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 Feminist Theory of
Education - Key Takeaways
• Feminists agree that the education system transmits
and upholds patriarchal values.

• Liberal feminists believe education now centres on

women and girls, and we should celebrate the
progress that has been made.

• Radical feminists believe that education still centres

on boys despite advancements in girls’ education.

• Marxist and socialist feminists argue education

transmits capitalist cultural norms and values.

• Girls do not all have the same experiences of

education, race and class also contribute to the
experiences of girls in education.

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 Weakness of Feminist
Theory of Education
• A common weakness of the feminist theory
of education is the fact that it does not
consider that not all girls' experiences in
education are the same.

• For example, girls of colour or from poorer

backgrounds will have differences in
educational experiences and achievement.

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 References
• Heaton, T. Lawson, T. (1996). Explaining gender
differences in educational attainment. Training and
Education. 65-95. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-
349-13883-8_4

• Mac an Ghaill, M. (1994). The making of men:

Masculinities, sexualities and schooling. Open
University Press.
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1995-98749-000

• Sharpe, S. (1976). ‘Just like A Girl:’ How Girls Learn

to be Women. Penguin: New York.

• Sharpe, S. (1994). Fathers and Daughters.

Routledge: London.

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