Overview
The book represents an accessible text for students of sociology, women's studies, gender studies, education and cultural studies - disciplines currently engaged in exploration and debate around the themes of identity construction and the nature of difference. The contributors, all feminists, employ a variety of conceptual approaches which seek to understand the shifting and changing identities of students and staff in the familiar context of higher education in Britain today. The changing composition of both groups, including more mature, working class, black, and disabled people, has given rise to a situation where many feel "outsiders within". Drawing on qualitative research and personal narratives, the book offers important insights into the multi-layered nature of student and staff identities. By interweaving three strands: theorizing identity and difference, providing experiential exemplars and applying both to the world of higher education - it is highly relevant to a wide range of readers.Author Biography: Dr. Pauline Anderson, Principal Lecturer in Sociology and Women's Studies, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. Jenny Williams, Emeritus Research Fellow, University of Wolverhampton.
Synopsis
The book represents an accessible text for students of sociology, women's studies, gender studies, education and cultural studies - disciplines currently engaged in exploration and debate around the themes of identity construction and the nature of difference. The contributors, all feminists, employ a variety of conceptual approaches which seek to understand the shifting and changing identities of students and staff in the familiar context of higher education in Britain today. The changing composition of both groups, including more mature, working class, black, and disabled people, has given rise to a situation where many feel "outsiders within". Drawing on qualitative research and personal narratives, the book offers important insights into the multi-layered nature of student and staff identities. By interweaving three strands: theorizing identity and difference, providing experiential exemplars and applying both to the world of higher education - it is highly relevant to a wide range of readers.
Author Biography: Dr. Pauline Anderson, Principal Lecturer in Sociology and Women's Studies, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. Jenny Williams, Emeritus Research Fellow, University of Wolverhampton.
Booknews
British feminist academics and researchers who theorize about the nature of difference explore the changing construction of individual and group identities in higher education. Most of them consider women as students and as academics. They cover the context, students in post-compulsory education, and feminist reflections on researching and teaching. The 14 essays combine papers from an April 1997 conference in Warwick with papers by invited contributors. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)