Schooling, Diaspora and Gender : Being Feminist and Being Different

The dichotomy between equality and difference is a central issue in both feminist and education debates.

The author examines this dichotomy with particular reference to gender, ethnicity and schooling and argues that in the context of reformist education policies targeting gender equity and the affirmation of cultural difference, the schooling experiences of ethnic minority girls provide insights into ways of challenging this dichotomy.

School-based case studies are provided as a means of challenging the predominant view, reiterated through eduaction policies, that these girls are victims of a culture clash which establishes a "minority backward, majority as enlightened" binary.