GENDER BLINDNESS IN THE POLITICAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS

Despite the prolific normative framework on gender mainstreaming in academic institutions, its implementa-tion has not been effective. This article pays attention to the Political Science curriculum. First, we examine the syllabi of first-year courses of all the Political Science degrees offered in Spain through several quantitative indicators and carry out a qualitative content analysis of the main introductory textbooks. Second, we evaluate the impact of such pervasive gender-blind curriculum on students, by means of the case study of a single university, through focus groups. The existing gap be-tween the normative framework on gender mainstream-ing in universities and the practice of its implementa-tion, specifically as regards the curriculum, allows us to reflect on how this deficit can limit the development of students' critical thinking and make their future professional practice reproduce gender inequalities.