Introduction

The deep and surface structures of higher education, its values and its processes, all declare that men remain the subjects; their actions, agendas, knowledge and power are still predominant. Higher education is dominated by masculine values, masculine power and masculine discourse, but while power can be a weapon of oppression it is not always wielded equally and women are not equally oppressed. This chapter discusses ways in which women can attempt to empower themselves in higher education. The importance of mutual support is emphasised in the alternative, woman-centred approaches explored here. Crucially, the processes of empowerment detailed in these papers exist in tension with the character and values of the academy and its curricula. Curriculum encompasses areas such as the nature of the disciplines — their methodologies, subject matters and perspectives; teaching approaches, relationships and experiences within the institution, as well as the wider educational and social context.