Gender and Education

The authors describe broad patterns and key developments in gender and education scholarship to provide an overview of the state of the field. They incorporate historical developments shaping research patterns, broad tensions and shifts, and emerging trajectories in inquiry. Cognizant that reviews are inherently political endeavors in both reflecting- and creating-"the field," the authors suggest that reviews such as this one are inevitably partial and political, even as they provide useful insights into scholarly trends. The dynamic body of work that constitutes what the authors refer to as "gender and education" scholarship (writ large) encompasses diverse inquiries, theoretical investments, sites of analysis, and conceptions of gender that go beyond a straightforward reporting of women's and girls' gradual progress over time in accessing education. The authors argue that gender remains a central force in organizing social relations and educational processes with an array of implications for lived experience that merit sustained scrutiny.