ABSTRACT
Although not ‘primarily known for writing about gender’ (Delamont, 1995, p. 323), Basil Bernstein’s theory of pedagogy has played a fascinating role in the development of gender theory in sociological studies of education. First, there is an international group of feminist academics who have chosen to position themselves within this male-defined and -controlled intellectual field by engaging with Bernstein’s theoretical project – an exploration of the modes of educational transmission and production. Second, there are female scholars who would not necessarily wish to be labelled as feminist yet have used Bernstein’s theory to explore gender relations and difference in the family and various educational contexts. Third, there is the gendering of theory that occurs not merely through male academic discourses but also when women scholars construct their own sociological theory. In this context, female theorists of pedagogy who draw upon Bernstein’s conceptual framework or research problematic are interesting in their own right. Preparing this chapter seemed a golden opportunity to ask these different groups of female academics, many quite noted in their field, if they could describe the nature of their engagement with Bernstein’s work. This chapter explores the subjective positioning of women academics in relation to male theory and considers how such intellectual encounters contribute to the development of gender theory.
