Resistances to gender mainstreaming in higher education

This article examines the manifestations of resistance to the inclusion of gender perspectives in teaching within Catalonia's Schools of Education. Drawing on feminist institutionalism, the study conceptualizes resistance as a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing individual-institutional and ac...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Caravaca Hernández, Alejandro|||0000-0002-7394-5721, Agud Morell, Ingrid|||0000-0003-3759-5784
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:325022
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/325022
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1080/09540253.2026.2617578
Access Level:acceso embargado
Palabra clave:Higher education
Gender equality
Resistance
Teacher training
Policy enactment
Descripción
Sumario:This article examines the manifestations of resistance to the inclusion of gender perspectives in teaching within Catalonia's Schools of Education. Drawing on feminist institutionalism, the study conceptualizes resistance as a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing individual-institutional and active-passive dimensions. Based on 24 semi-structured interviews with faculty members across five Schools, the research explores resistances and the underlying factors that enable them. Findings reveal that most resistances take the form of passive, subtle behaviours, shaped by factors such as institutional inertia, academic freedom, and the marginalization of gender perspectives within education disciplines. Despite the inclusion of gender equality in official policy agendas, the lack of enforcement mechanisms often relegates these mandates to symbolic gestures, limiting transformative change. Furthermore, active resistances, including denial, trivialization, and ridicule, emerge when institutional cultures or practices are directly challenged. The study demonstrates how resistances reflect deeper power struggles and offers insights for studying policy enactment in universities.