I propose this paper in the framework of a doctoral thesis on feminist curricula in Higher Education, as a way to promote an inclusive primary and secondary education through the innovation of the university curriculum. This research undertakes a detail analysis of the case study of a university involved in gender equality initiatives. The University of Cantabria (Spain) has been chosen for its work in the last decade.
Women’s studies have occupied a space in the Spanish universities from the late 1970s. However, feminist university teaching has declined in the new study plans approved after joining the European Higher Education Area. Specific teaching has been reduced in the academic degrees and the mainstreaming strategy adopted in some programs does not achieve the scientific rigor provided by feminist research. In addition, universities’ commitment to offer specific postgraduate programs has deteriorated due to lack of funding and to the students' perception of the scarcity of job opportunities.
This presentation reveals the analysis of academic curricula, through a gendered lens, studied by pre university teachers in the Autonomous Community of Cantabria, in the north of Spain. The significance of this situated case study, resides in a university and an autonomous government involved in gender equality initiatives, but with no specific feminist courses offered. In addition, feminist-knowledge teaching, as a mainstreaming strategy, goes from 0 courses to the 16%. The aim of this research is to know more about the impact of feminist research in the professional skills among university graduates and future teachers and consider the consequences of these gaps in the curricula.
At the workshop, I will be pleased to introduce my research and my first findings and discuses some impressions from my recent teaching experience introducing feminist knowledge as a Sociology teacher in the Faculty of Education of the University of Cantabria.
