Introduction

This collection arises from the Women in Higher Education Network (WHEN) UK 1996 conference, organized by the University of Central Lancashire. This edited collection also marks a new series and commitment to feminist publishing by Taylor and Francis book publishers. Among the aims of the new series is to: ‘. . . integrate theory and experience; demonstrate women’s creativity in what are still hostile environments; and contribute to the development of interdisciplinary feminist awareness, theory and dialogue . . .’ (Walsh, 1996, p. 1). The book builds on Louise Morley and Val Walsh’s 1996 book, as they identify: ‘Breaking boundaries involves naming barriers to women’s participation in higher education, as well as testifying to the consequences of power relations based on social class, “race”, sexuality, age, disabilities, and ethnicities’ (1996, p. 34). This collection highlights some underexposed areas of concern for women in higher education, identifying the organizational and institutional masculinities that persist in the academy.