Social right to education: initial elements to situate a gender policy at the university

Abstract

The text aims at providing some information in order to trigger some thinking concerning a gender policy at the University. In order to do so, initially some concepts related to social inequality are presented with the purpose of making clear which types of inequality are involved whenever gender is concerned. Afterwards, the concept of gender itself is discussed, previously to speaking of education as a means of production and reproduction of gender relations in society, and of how such phenomenon can be perceived within the University. With such purpose some data concerning the masculine and feminine presence at the University is presented: students enrolled, professors, researchers and Senior Researchers (with grant). Finally, as a conclusion, some conditions for female empowerment in higher education will be highlighted: fostering research on the mechanisms and practices which ascribe specific places for men and women at the University; settling a more effusive policy on the preparation of faculty; and interfering towards the establishment of more equal gender relationships since the school years, overcoming the idea of mixed school towards the one of coeducation.