Women and Gender in Higher Education: Looking Forward, Looking Back

Since the founding of the nation, higher education has helped female faculty and students to assert themselves to establish equality between men and women across the country (Morris, 1984). During the nineteenth century, women had limited access to many sectors of American society because of their inferior status to men. Such differences were visible in both political and academic arenas. This discrimination reflected general societal norms of the time, relegating women to the roles of mothers and homemakers. Theoretically, there are several models that address the development of women in higher education. Women and Gender in Higher Education provides a comprehensive review of the various concepts that illustrate how women understand the world around them, make meaning for themselves and their environment, and acknowledge the intersectionality of their identity. In addition, it breaks new ground in the conversation about the roles of women and gender in higher education.