Unpacking the discursive construction of gender in higher education: contending approaches and policy silences

In this article, I argue for the need to scrutinize policy discourses in education, as they shape which issues are deemed relevant and legitimate, and which are marginalized or omitted. I take the case of Catalonia, where policies promote the introduction of a so-called ‘gender perspective’ in university teaching as part of a series of gender equality initiatives. Particularly, I unpack the discursive construction of such ‘gender perspective’, focusing on the inclusions, but also on the tensions and policy silences. Drawing on an analysis of a policy document and semi-structured interviews, I show the complex interplay of contending, yet coexisting approaches to gender equality (including ‘equality as sameness’, ‘difference’ and ‘transformation’), and discuss the power relations involved in the policymaking processes. A discursive analysis of education policies proves relevant in questioning and critically examining what is frequently presented as a ‘neutral’ and ‘depoliticized’ issue, an empty shell, reduced to an unproblematized buzzword.