Women’s Education Beyond Compulsive Femininity: Theory and Practice

Abstract

In the summer of 2000 the International Women’s University (ifu) took place in Hannover. ifu-president Aylâ Neusel edited the proceedings of the meeting, documenting the concept, planning and curriculum development of the ifu. Drawing on their practical experiences, the authors of this anthology discuss what women can and should learn with and about women and gender in an academic context. Gesa Heinrichs’ monograph investigates the concept of identity and its relationships to gender and education. Her theoretical analysis corresponds to the concepts applied at ifu, positing that women’s education should deal with questions of identity without implying compulsive femininity.