Page 10 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, 5-6: Teaching Feminism, ed. Valerija Vendramin
P. 10
šolsko polje, letnik xxxi, številka 5–6
form of feminism has been curiously and unsettlingly unmoored from
those key terms of equality, justice, and emancipation that have informed
women’s movements and feminism since their inception” (ibid., p. 11).
Having said this, it is all the more important to strive for a histori-
cally nuanced image of feminism and women’s fight for their rights. We
need to be reminded once again that there are connections between gen-
der-based oppression and the practices of searching for knowledge. This
means that “the legitimation of knowledge claims is intimately tied to the
networks of domination and exclusion” (Lennon & Whitford, 1994, p. 1).
Further (I return to this at the end of this issue of The School Field or, in
Slovenian, Šolsko polje): “This recognition has moved issues of epistemolo-
gy from the world of somewhat esoteric philosophy to the centre-stage of
contemporary culture” (ibid.).
Here education, more precisely school curricula7 (and, ideally, school
practice), has an important role as curricula define the representations
and definitions of feminism and the struggles for women’s rights, which
may then serve as a starting point for reflecting on everyday practices in
schools and acting accordingly if they are found wanting from the equal-
ity perspective.8 I am writing this with Slovenian primary school curric-
ula in mind as I am familiar with their gaps and omissions,9 which some-
how replicate more and more with every new edition or renewal, but the
point is of course more widely applicable as also demonstrated by several
authors here.
But speaking about feminism and education entails two slightly dif-
ferent things, which should be explained here, at least in short, as more
explanations and theoretisations are available later on in this issue of The
School Field. First (this is not a value-laden order), there is education about
feminism – and I have already mentioned the tendency to avoid the term,
referring to primary school curricula mainly (see note 9), although the au-
thors contributing here deal with it on the university (and alternative!)
level as well. Second, there is education ( for) feminism or teaching from
7 It might be worth repeating that the knowledge that makes it into the curriculum is the re-
sult of complex power relations, struggles and compromises among various social groups
(Apple, 1992, p. 70).
8 This is first of all a policy issue, which should be – with documents, recommendations and
the like – a “safety net” against the exclusions, silences and taken-for-granted ideas. Anoth-
er document is a curriculum with precisely defined contents and emancipatory knowl-
edge brought to the forefront, together with the provision of tools for analysis (Vendra-
min, 2014, p. 902).
9 For example, although the curricula for history and for civic education deal with themes
such as sex/gender or emancipation, the term “feminism” is not mentioned at all (for a little
more on this, see Vendramin, 2019).
8
form of feminism has been curiously and unsettlingly unmoored from
those key terms of equality, justice, and emancipation that have informed
women’s movements and feminism since their inception” (ibid., p. 11).
Having said this, it is all the more important to strive for a histori-
cally nuanced image of feminism and women’s fight for their rights. We
need to be reminded once again that there are connections between gen-
der-based oppression and the practices of searching for knowledge. This
means that “the legitimation of knowledge claims is intimately tied to the
networks of domination and exclusion” (Lennon & Whitford, 1994, p. 1).
Further (I return to this at the end of this issue of The School Field or, in
Slovenian, Šolsko polje): “This recognition has moved issues of epistemolo-
gy from the world of somewhat esoteric philosophy to the centre-stage of
contemporary culture” (ibid.).
Here education, more precisely school curricula7 (and, ideally, school
practice), has an important role as curricula define the representations
and definitions of feminism and the struggles for women’s rights, which
may then serve as a starting point for reflecting on everyday practices in
schools and acting accordingly if they are found wanting from the equal-
ity perspective.8 I am writing this with Slovenian primary school curric-
ula in mind as I am familiar with their gaps and omissions,9 which some-
how replicate more and more with every new edition or renewal, but the
point is of course more widely applicable as also demonstrated by several
authors here.
But speaking about feminism and education entails two slightly dif-
ferent things, which should be explained here, at least in short, as more
explanations and theoretisations are available later on in this issue of The
School Field. First (this is not a value-laden order), there is education about
feminism – and I have already mentioned the tendency to avoid the term,
referring to primary school curricula mainly (see note 9), although the au-
thors contributing here deal with it on the university (and alternative!)
level as well. Second, there is education ( for) feminism or teaching from
7 It might be worth repeating that the knowledge that makes it into the curriculum is the re-
sult of complex power relations, struggles and compromises among various social groups
(Apple, 1992, p. 70).
8 This is first of all a policy issue, which should be – with documents, recommendations and
the like – a “safety net” against the exclusions, silences and taken-for-granted ideas. Anoth-
er document is a curriculum with precisely defined contents and emancipatory knowl-
edge brought to the forefront, together with the provision of tools for analysis (Vendra-
min, 2014, p. 902).
9 For example, although the curricula for history and for civic education deal with themes
such as sex/gender or emancipation, the term “feminism” is not mentioned at all (for a little
more on this, see Vendramin, 2019).
8
