Gender and Education in Italy

We are interested in addressing both the education of gender – given that gender identities are not only causal factors but also educational outcomes – and the gender of education – given that education is itself gendered. By the education of gender, we mean the set of processes, actors and educational contexts that directly and indirectly shape the development of gender identities and, above, all the complex formation of students’ preferences, orientations, practices and experiences as they pursue learning paths, experience academic (in)success, and enter into both the labour market and adult life. We use the phrase “gender of education” to refer to gender differences in the multiple dimensions of education that involve observing and analysing education and learning systems according to a gender perspective. That is, we propose to also focus on the comparison between female and male learning paths, women’s and men’s learning achievements, gaps in the return on such investment in the labour market and other social dimensions more generally. At the same time, the gender of education also concerns teachers and other staff involved in education, the currently consolidated trend of feminization and the power relations stemming from gendered teaching models.