Tracing and teaching gender across core public affairs curriculum

ABSTRACT

Traditional MPA programs that deliver public affairs education often use gender blind pedagogies. Gender blind pedagogies maintain that organizational practices and decision-making processes are gender neutral and have similar outcomes to both men and women who engage in public service. Gender neutral assumptions in PA education perpetuate gender neutral research and practice. Using critical gender pedagogy, we (1) examine current practices of discussing gender in PA education, (2) review pedagogical suggestions from other fields (particularly English and gender studies) that have adopted critical gender pedagogies, (3) identify elements of gender-sensitive course design, (4) develop a five- part pedagogical framework to showcase major elements needed for public affairs curricula to be more gender-sensitive, and (5) apply this framework to model how six MPA core courses can better address gender. This paper aims to deliver an alternative gender- sensitive pedagogical approach that breaks the cycle of gender-blind practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Critical gender pedagogy
• gender equity
• gender sensitive course design

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sebawit G. Bishu

Sebawit G. Bishu is an Assistant Professor of Public Management at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington, Seattle. Her scholarly work explores gender and race relations in public organizations with a focus on leadership, street-level bureaucracy, identity, and organizational behavior. Bishu applies her research within the context of human service organizations and local governments within the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sean McCandless

Sean McCandless is an assistant professor and the Doctorate in Public Administration and an associate director at the University of Illinois Springfield. His research centers on how accountability for social equity is achieved. With Dr Mary Guy, he co-edited the book Achieving Social Equity: From Problems to Solutions (Melvin & Leigh). With Dr Meghna Sabharwal and Dr Shilpa Viswanath, he is co-editing the forthcoming book, Elgar Handbook of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. With Dr Susan Gooden, he is co-editing the forthcoming book, Teaching Social Equity: A Cross-Curricular Perspective (Routledge). With Dr Gooden and Dr Richard Greggory Johnson III, he helped co-found the new Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration. With Dr Brandi Blessett, Dr Staci Zavattaro, and Dr Esteban Santis, he is co-editor of Routledge’s social justice in public administration book series. With Dr Staci Zavattaro, Dr Ashley Nickels, and Dr Esteban Santis, he is co-editor of a forthcoming special issue in Public Integrity on the liberatory potential of qualitative methods to advance equity and ethics. Dr McCandless was awarded the 2021 University Scholar Award, the highest faculty award in the University of Illinois System.