*Seminar Series: University of Birmingham, Spring/Summer 2009*
**
*Gender and Sexuality: The Discursive Limits of ‘Equality’ in Higher
Education*
*Funded by the University of Birmingham Deans’ Funding Initiative*
This seminar series investigates a number of areas of concern, regarding
gender and sexuality, which are identifiable in the current British higher
education environment. The series explores how current dominant ‘neoliberal’
discourses, which emphasise the commodification of higher education in the
UK, function to set limits upon ‘equality’. Ironically, while these
discourses often suggest a widening of opportunities within higher education
with an emphasis upon unlimited individual freedom and choice, the lived
experience can be rather different for women and sexual minorities. The
seminar series will explore the impact such discourses are having upon
gender and sexuality identities and practices in the academy. The aims of
the seminar series are:
– To identify the characteristics of neoliberal discourse and its
influence in the UK academy
– To identify effects which impact on women, sexual minorities and
gender/sexuality scholarship
– To examine effects of on constituencies of scholars who are
marginalised by neoliberal discourse
– To examine patterns of fiscal loss or reward as a result of neoliberal
strategies of HEI management and planning
There will be an Introductory session followed by three seminars in the
series. Each seminar will consist of a presentation by a keynote speaker
followed by a structured discussion between the keynote speaker and 2 or 3
discussants. There will be time for general open discussion and
opportunities for participants to talk informally.
Details of the Introductory session and the three subsequent seminars are
included below:
- Friday 23rd January 2009 10.00-12.00 (Selly Oak campus)
*Dr Liz Morrish and Dr Helen Sauntson*
*Introduction to Neoliberalism***
This session introduces key themes and concepts in neoliberalism which are
developed in the following three seminars in the series. We specifically
focus on those areas of neoliberal theory and practice which have relevance
to issues around gender, sexuality and education. This session is open to
those who wish to learn more about neoliberalism before attending the rest
of the series.
**
- Friday 20th February 2009 10.00-12.00 (Selly Oak campus)
*Professor Mary Evans, University of Kent*
*For Us or Against Us: Coercion and Consensus in Higher Education*
**
In debates about the admissions of state school pupils to Oxbridge those
defending Oxbridge have challenged the idea that universities should be
‘engines of social change’. At the same time Oxbridge, and other
universities have accepted the responsibility of ‘enabling’ entrepreneurship
and other market led initiatives. I want to explore some of the implications
of this position in terms of the ‘making’ of the person in higher education
and in particular the ways in which conservative refusals of radical gender
and class change re-inforce structural inequalities.
**
- Friday 6th March 10.00-12.00 (Edgbaston campus)
*Richard Johnson, Nottingham Trent University*
*Title and abstract TBA*
**
**
- Friday 8th May 2009 10.00-12.00 (Selly Oak campus)
*Dr Joyce Canaan, Birmingham City University*
*Resisting the Neoliberal University: Discursive and Practice-based
Strategies*
Many of us working in UK universities (as in others) increasingly find and
feel ourselves stymied, depleted and oppressed (if not depressed) by the
seeming inevitability and expansion of neoliberal discourses and practices
that require us to demonstrate endless productivity and continuous
improvement of teaching, research and administrative capacities that derail
our efforts to engage as fully as possible with at least teaching and
research. In this context some ‘academic’ or ‘scholar activists’ are
beginning to develop critiques that articulate how neoliberalism profoundly
harms academics, students, HE institutions and the capacity for critical
thinking about and egalitarian transformation of the world-sorely needed in
the current climate of economic and ecological crisis. Some of these
academic/scholar activists are beginning to create counter-discourses and
practices. This paper, based on interviews with academic/scholar activists,
explores these activists’ efforts to critique and implement progressive
alternatives within, beyond and against the neoliberal university. The paper
aims to encourage others to work with these and other activist/scholar
academics to help create a more humane, dignified and enabling Higher
Education system in future.
Further information about venues will be circulated nearer the time.
Information about travelling to the University of Birmingham can be found at
http://www.about.bham.ac.uk/maps/sellyoak.shtml<https://ex1.bham.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.about.bham.ac.uk/maps/sellyoak.shtml>(Selly
Oak campus) and
http://www.about.bham.ac.uk/maps/edgbaston.shtml<https://ex1.bham.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.about.bham.ac.uk/maps/edgbaston.shtml>(Edgbaston
campus). On the Edgbaston map, the School of Education is
building R19 in the red zone.
For further information, please contact Helen Sauntson (
h.v.sauntson@bham.ac.uk).
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