Social work introductory textbooks reflect myriad practical interests, pedagogical concerns, and theoretical considerations. However, they also present students with accepted views, dominant perspectives, and main discourses of knowledge. In light of this centrality, the present article examines the representation of the concept of "social class"…

In this article texts by scholars from South Africa, Sweden and Great Britain are analysed. They contributed as invited speakers to a conference in Sweden in 2009 on changing societies, values, religions and education. Here a South-North dialogue on diversity and the future of education is constructed through the way their conference contributions…

Within the subfields of political psychology and the study of gender, the introduction of new data collection efforts, methodologies, and theoretical approaches are transforming our understandings of these two fields and the places at which they intersect. In this article we present an overview of the research that was presented at a National…

This essay discusses ways in which people attempt to reconcile or resolve their own cognitive dissonance engendered by transgender people in a society in which gender is perceived as both binary (male OR female) and immutable (an unalterable state or condition). The author suggests these cognitive dissonance reduction methods may be utilized in…

The influence of contemporary feminism in the classroom and on campus is widespread, and student clubs, women's centers, and women's studies departments often exclude women who hold traditional views. In this article, the author takes a look at how this influence evolved and describes the very successful actions she took as a student to challenge…

Women's difficulty in achieving professional success in faculty positions in higher education is a continuing concern. Finding a balance between home and work responsibilities is more complex for women, and when traditional gender scripts are bent, they lead to harsher judgments from students, peers and administrators than for their male…

The importance of clarity in definitions of gender is discussed and several conceptual models of gender are presented. Four of these models begin with biological sex differences but draw attention to other aspects of gender. Four models set biology aside and are based on social and cultural theories. Some of the advantages of the latter for…

A feminist content analysis of 81 films was conducted as a means to assist mental health practitioners in guiding the career choices of young women and to explore the possibilities for change through this medium. The review of the 117 lead female characters revealed themes including: the idea that relationships should be secondary to careers in…

Women almost always comprise a minority in engineering programs and a smaller percentage of women pursue engineering than other science and technology majors. The culture of engineering departments and negative stereotypes of women's engineering and mathematical ability have been identified as factors that inhibit women's entry into…

This work is grounded in the literature on women in the academy and offers glimpses into four young women professors' experiences in the field of educational leadership. We utilized reflective practice and interpersonal communication to create a dialogue centered on three qualitative research questions that allows a window into our lives. We…

Numerous studies have examined how grade retention can impede the academic success of those retained students. One uncharted line of research is the spillover effect that retained students may exert on their classmates. The purpose of this study is to evaluate this relationship for students in urban elementary school classrooms. To do so, this…

This study of students competing in the 2009 Massachusetts State Science & Engineering Fair investigates the role gender played in students' participation, choice of science field, award of prizes, and mentioning inspiring teachers. Females made up 62 percent of the participants and were more likely to enter projects in biology and in…

Critical Sexuality Studies is an emerging field of academic enquiry linked to an international network of advocacy agencies, activists, and political issues. This paper reports on the development of an advanced short course in sexuality theory and research, drawing on Critical Sexuality Studies and aiming directly at academics in developing…

Schools are places of learning and also miniature societies. The climate of a school has a direct impact on both how well students learn and how well they interact with their peers. Teachers and administrators work hard to make their classrooms welcoming places where each student feels included. But despite these efforts, students who are--or who…

We address issues related to gender and cultural equity in a history of mathematics course. We first look at the preponderance of male European mathematicians represented in textbooks of mathematics and history or mathematics. Then we discuss ways to highlight the presence of female and non-European mathematicians in the history of mathematics.…