The Feminist Perspective in Education and its Current Debates

Abstract

We are facing a social debate on feminism that is favoring the resurgence of very old misogynist thinking. The achievements of recent decades in relation to the advancement of equality between the sexes are being distorted and it seems that feminism is responsible for unleashing the baser instincts and hatred. This prevents us from listening to what is really being said. Prejudices prevent us from doing so. This article delves into the historical development of feminism as a political theory and praxis, examining its different moments from pre-modernity to post-modernity. It shows that feminism as a political theory and as a social movement has been analyzing reality for more than three centuries now and has built up knowledge that is essential for understanding today s societies and the debates that are taking place in them. It is important to convey that feminism is a humanism that seeks to build societies based on the values of equality, justice and freedom. For this to be possible, it is necessary to incorporate the ethics of care in the classroom. A care that goes from the egocentric to the world-centric, that includes all of us and that transcends the human to also include nature and all living beings. The education we need must be directed towards the realization of basic universal values and the construction of fairer and more inclusive societies. It is therefore urgent to give it more space and prominence in the education system and in the curriculum.