Transferring knowledge about sex and gender : Dutch case studies

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on the transfer of knowledge about sex and gender from academic research contexts to different societal domains in an effort to acquire a better understanding of how these knowledge transfer processes take place and to gain insight in the factors that impact the integration of this knowledge in society. The main academic field that produces knowledge about sex and gender is Women’s Studies. In the Netherlands, this has developed into a well-established field of research and education within the academy. Since Women’s Studies scholars aim to help improve women’s position in society, the large body of knowledge about sex and gender they produce not only avails theoretical development; Women’s Studies scholars aim to make a difference in society. They however do perceive a discrepancy between their ambitions to bring this knowledge to bear on society and the extent to which it is integrated in societal domains. In other words, there is a Women’s Studies knowledge gap. Taking the Women’s Studies knowledge gap as its starting point, the dissertation aims to provide a better understanding of the processes through which knowledge about sex and gender is transferred and integrated into society, as well as to assess what conditions hinder or enhance the integration of this knowledge in society. In four specific case studies, the dissertation considers the transfer of knowledge about sex and gender to different societal domains: policymaking, the university curriculum, and civil society. Taking into account the interdisciplinary character of Women’s Studies, it deals with knowledge about sex and gender from different disciplines: Social Sciences, Medicine, and Humanities. Understanding knowledge as knowledge products as well as knowledge embodied in people, it also specifically studies embodied knowledge transfer by scrutinising the transfer of knowledge via Women’s Studies graduates to professional settings in society. To analyse knowledge transfer processes, theories from Social Studies of Knowledge are employed. The dissertation combines the specific approaches of theories of Knowledge Utilisation, Feminist Science Studies, and the theoretical approach called Mode 2, each of which highlights important elements of knowledge transfer. Knowledge Utilisation theories identify concrete factors that may affect the integration of knowledge in societal domains, pointing in particular to the interactions between researchers and users. Focussing on the socio-political context that impacts the production of knowledge, Feminist Science Studies calls attention to both the fact that knowledge is invested with power and to possible power differences between knowledge transfer actors. The approach advocated by Nowotny and others as Mode 2 is important in that it highlights the interaction between academic and societal domains, and also because it understands knowledge as both knowledge products and as academically trained people, hence allowing for studying knowledge transfer in a broad sense. The aim of this dissertation is to shed light on the Women’s Studies knowledge gap and to contribute to the development of Social Studies of Knowledge theories about transfer and integration of knowledge