On being the 'gender person' in an academic department: constructions, configurations and implications. Issue 6 (18th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Henderson, Emily F.
• Is Part Of: Journal of gender studies. Volume 28:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: 730
• Page End: 742
• Publication Date: 2019-08-18
• Subjects: Gender expertise -- gender mainstreaming -- women's and gender studies -- institutionalisation of women's and gender studies -- higher education; Feminism -- Periodicals; Women -- Periodicals; Gender identity -- Periodicals; Sex role -- Periodicals; Sexual orientation -- Periodicals; Féminisme -- Périodiques; Femmes -- Périodiques; Identité sexuelle -- Périodiques; Rôle selon le sexe -- Périodiques; Orientation sexuelle -- Périodiques; 305.3
• DOI: 10.1080/09589236.2019.1620709
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-9236

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The term 'gender person' in an academic department is a colloquial expression which refers to someone who researches and/or teaches about gender, but whose primary affiliation is not to a gender studies department or centre. This role has particularly been discussed in relation to international development organisations, but has been neglected in relation to higher education institutions. The article reapplies Lucy Ferguson's 'gender person' framework to academics working as 'gender people' in the conditions of contemporary academia. Three cases of different manifestations of the 'gender person' role are explored in detail and analysed for the ways in which occupying the 'gender person' role impacts upon academic careers and gender knowledge. The article contributes an elaborated concept of the 'gender person' in academia and provides empirical evidence of being the 'gender person'. The article particularly shows that relying on a 'gender person' as a form of gender mainstreaming renders both gender academics and academic departments vulnerable in different ways.