The reproduction of the gender regime: the military and education as state apparatuses constraining the military wife student

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on the experiences and perspectives of military wives as students and potential students of Access to Higher Education Diplomas, a qualification for widening participation in HE for ‘non-traditional' students in the UK – an under-researched topic. Contributing to both Marxist and feminist theory, we argue that the combined practices of the state apparatuses, the military and education system, constrain these women's access to, and progress in, HE, and that the patriarchal gender regime is reproduced through institutional structures and practices. The study found that military wives' own education plays a secondary role to their serving partners’ military careers; that the military promotes their roles as wives and mothers above adult educational opportunities; and that despite the widening participation agenda, an inflexible HE system further blocks educational opportunities for this group.

KEYWORDS:

• Military wives
• gender regime
• ideological state apparatuses
• Higher Education
• access courses

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 When interviewees talk about ‘adult education’ they are referring to HE.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Forces in Mind Trust.

Notes on contributors

Mel Macer

Dr Mel Macer, Research Team Leader, School of Education, Bath Spa University.

Charlotte Chadderton

Professor Charlotte Chadderton, Professor of Education, School of Education, Bath Spa University.