Journal Name:
- International Women Online Journal of Distance Education
Author Name |
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Abstract (2. Language):
This paper examines the issues surrounding teaching men feminism particularly via the
medium of online, distance learning. Increasingly, tertiary institutions in the Caribbean
are adopting online learning as the way forward to ensure that its citizens are well
equipped to enter the global workforce. There is also a move towards increasing the
number of tertiary educated males, who are in the minority in many universities and
tertiary level intuitions. By focusing on a lesser known area in the research on gender
pedagogy and distance learning, this paper highlights the importance of studying the
particular challenges and benefits of teaching men feminist theory. This is mainly
achieved through data garnered from a sample of learners themselves, and as such is
largely a qualitative paper which taps into the narratives of these men as its major
source. The personal experience of the author in the area of coordinating an online
distance programme also proves to be an interesting perspective for the work. This is
buttressed by literature from the leading researchers and academics in the area of
distance learning and feminist theorizing and pedagogy.
The paper argues that there are unique challenges and benefits in teaching men feminist
theory and highlights the benefits and drawbacks of doing so online. It also suggests
ways in which the challenges may be surmounted in order to facilitate an increased
number of men who are interested in investing in online education and particularly those
with an interest in gender studies. “Despite the long history of men’s involvement in
feminism, I’ve learned over the years that telling someone, anyone that I am a feminist is
bound to have a startling effect. The responses vary, but they usually involve questions,
such as “what do you mean?” often accompanied by some stuttered expressions of doubt
about whether it is possible for a man to be a feminist, perhaps whether it is even
logically possible…women’s embarrassment seems to centre on how my being a feminist
diminishes my manliness, while men seem to think I’m crazy.” (Digby, 1998, p. 1.)
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