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Opportunity or exploitation: women and quality assurance in higher education

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 08:54 authored by Louise Morley
Based on interviews with 18 UK women academics and managers on quality and power in higher education, this article interrogates the impact of quality assurance discourses and practices on women in higher education. Micro-level analysis of the effects of audit and the evaluative state seem to suggest that hegemonic masculinities and gendered power relations are being reinforced by the emphasis on competition, targets, audit trails and performance (Morley, 2003a). Furthermore, pedagogic space for exploring social justice issues is closing with the emphasis on learning outcomes and student consumerism (Morley, 2003b). Yet women are also gaining new visibility as a consequence of the creation of a new cadre of quality managers. Quality assurance, as a regime of power, appears to offer both repressive and creative potential for women. This article will explore whether quality signs and practices are gendered and whether these represent opportunity or exploitation for women in the academy.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Gender and Education

ISSN

0954-0253

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Issue

4

Volume

17

Page range

411-429

Pages

19.0

Department affiliated with

  • Education Publications

Notes

This article was peer reviewed by members of the international research community. It was the development of the gendered implications of audit based on empirical research for the 2003 book and material researched for keynotes e.g. Gender, Quality and Equality in Higher Education, AHD (The German Association for Research and Development in Higher Education), Changing Teaching and Learning Culture in Higher Education Conference, University of Dortmund, Germany, March, 2006; Women in Higher Education Conference, University of Coventry, November, 2002; European Union Network invitational seminar on Higher Education Reform, Stockholm, March, 2003.

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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