Teaching to transform: toward an action-oriented feminist pedagogy in women’s studies

This qualitative study was conducted to develop a better understanding of the
place of praxis in higher education women’s studies programs in the U.S. Built upon
theories of feminist pedagogy, feminist praxis, activism, experiential education, and
academic service-learning, the research explores how praxis is reflected and taught in
women’s studies programs, how these programs impact students’ understanding of
feminist theory and practice, and what factors affect the implementation of action-oriented
pedagogy. Examples of several action-oriented projects that have successfully
been implemented in women’s studies courses are offered, and a case study demonstrates
the impact of these projects. The methods used include document review of women’s
studies mission statements and syllabi, and interviews with women’s studies faculty and
alumnae. The interview data were coded and analyzed using a grounded theory approach.