Using student‐written diaries to teach feminist economics

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain how student‐written diaries and journals serve as a specifically feminist pedagogy for teaching feminist economics, thereby challenging the lecture‐based techniques used to teach and uphold the mainstream, market‐fundamentalist paradigm.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach involves the author's observations and experiences using student‐written diaries to teach a feminist economics course.

Findings

Student‐written diaries have the potential to dislodge both the market‐fundamentalist economics paradigm and the lecture‐based teaching method that dominate the undergraduate economics curriculum. Student‐written diaries are especially useful in teaching feminist economics courses which strive to elevate women's economic status and/or to reduce the androcentric bias in economics. The paper describes how student‐written diaries are used to achieve both of these goals and to create a more inclusive classroom culture, while simultaneously challenging market fundamentalism.

Originality/value

The paper offers a new pedagogical technique to be used for teaching feminist economics courses and for countering lecture‐based courses that focus on market fundamentalism.

Citation

Miller, G.R. (2012), "Using student‐written diaries to teach feminist economics", On the Horizon, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 206-217. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748121211256801