Gender in Education: a Democratic Transition?

The 1990s brought democratic transition to the countries of Central Eastern Europe - a still ongoing process, with specific social, economic and political challenges to be met in each country, including the reform of education. This book explores the educational reform process in Slovenia and Hungary from a gender perspective. A theoretical discussion of the relevance of gender in education is followed by a comparative analysis of the national curriculum reform and gender issues therein, the presence of gender in educational discourse, and the implications of the reforms for textbooks and teacher training in the two countries. The study is concluded by an assessment of the relative success of the reforms. Completed in 2003, the study covers an under-researched area, raises further questions and points towards potential research directions for scholars interested in gender and education in the CEE region. Recommendations are offered about elements of the Slovenian reform that could be adapted in Hungary to improve the curriculum and provide a context for discourse on gender in educational policies and practice, therefore the book is also of interest for educational decision-makers.