Feminism and Research into Masculinities and Schooling

ABSTRACT Research into masculinities and schooling has recently attracted an increased amount of attention, particularly in relation to working-class boys and academic underachievement. Exploring masculinities is not a 'new' area, however, as such issues have always featured in feminist research into schooling. There is a concern that not all of this work undertaken by male researchers engages with the knowledge and understanding provided by feminist research. The intention of this article is to consider the debates surrounding feminists exploring issues of masculinity and to ascertain the extent to which recent work by male writers/researchers into masculinities and schooling informs and complements existing feminist agendas.     

An inclusive higher education? Gay and bisexual male teachers and the cultural politics of sexuality

Both the Dearing Report and the UK government's recent Green Paper on lifelong learning—The Learning Age—have made explicit references to an inclusive system of higher education and its contribution to a more inclusive society. This paper begins by examining the understandings of inclusivity displayed in The Learning Age and discusses the limitations of discourses that restrict the inclusion debate to matters of access. It argues that inclusivity rests on not only access but also the experience of higher education and it points to the need for both structural and cultural change. The paper then presents acase study of gay and bisexual male higher education teachers that draws on in-depth interview-based material from a UK study. It explores how inclusive higher education is with respect to gay and bisexual men and considers structural inequalities that remain, for example, in relation to equal opportunity policies and pension entitlements. The paper also considers the cultural practices of the gay and bisexual male teachers, for example, their engagement in cultural production through teaching and research and their attempts to wrestle control over identity construction in day-to-day interactions. The paper concludes by considering how a relational understanding of difference might offer possibilities for the diverse ‘voices’ of different groups to be reconciled with a collective view of what constitutes the ‘higher education community’ as a whole.     

Learning to be 'Tough': The fostering of maleness in one primary school

In recent years there has been an increase in studies on masculinity and schooling. The focus has largely been upon boys' experiences of secondary schooling and how schools actively produce a range of masculinities. This paper explores the interrelationship between masculinity, primary schools and the local community and culture. The data is drawn from a year-long ethnographic study of an inner-city primary school in the north-east of England.