Reproducing Gender: Selective Critical Essays on Educational Theory and Feminist Politics

Description

Reproducing Gender charts the development of a theory of gender relations built up over the last twenty years. This theory has been highly influential in establishing the importance of the sociology of women's education for the study of society. It demonstrates the power of feminist educational theory and research, and its role in creating new political and academic agendas. This fascinating book explores gender relationships at all levels of schooling. It brings together political, social and cultural theories to understand continuity and change in gender and education. Madeleine Arnot, widely considered to be a pioneer in the field of gender and education, brings together for the first time in a single volume her most influential writings. This book is essential reading for students and academics in the areas of gender studies, women's studies, educational policy, sociology and history of education.

Madeleine Arnot was the first to coin the term 'sociology of women's education' and can be seen to have started a new field of study - that in which feminists have engaged with dominant theories and research in the sociology of education. This well organised collection of essays introduces the readers to Arnot's major areas of concern; her early work on gender codes and her critique of Bernstein; her analysis of state educational policy in Britain and her most recent work on theorizing a feminist democratic education and ideal citizenship.

"'The book is written in an accessible way. It provides a useful summary of the main explanations of 'the problem of boys' and relates these explanations to the literature... a welcome book to the field.' - Gender and Education -"