8-day Training Course on             Women/Gender Studies in Asia
June 13-20, 2006, Bangkok, Thailand

This page gives details about the objectives and the topics of the Women/Gender Studies Course. For the registration form click here. At the end of the registration form there is a chart to calculate the total amount for the registration and hotel fee and the number and address of the bank account to transfer the money. For 8-day course 9-night stay is required. It is also suggested to enroll for the following 2-day conference. Paper presentation in the conference is appreciated but not required. Several new presentations at the conference supplement the content of the course.

This page provides first a brief summary of the women/gender studies course, and then a detailed description.

SUMMARY

8-day training course on

WOMEN/GENDER STUDIES IN ASIA

Background/Context of the Course
WARI’s experiences with various women’s studies programs in Asia have shown that most programs are still lacking in competent teaching materials and teaching methods. Recently, several scholarship programs schemes have been promoted in Asia, but there are few venues to improve or discuss research and teaching methods and materials. Prominence of western textbooks, scholarship and theories also remain an issue requiring discussion and debate.

This training course fills that gap. It puts together a comprehensive list of topics and a team of highly competent resource persons of the region to prepare a powerful course experience covering almost all aspects of women/gender studies in Asia.

Objectives
The training workshop hopes to enhance the capacity of participants to understand, analyze and communicate issues of women and men in Asia. The course is an intensive survey course at the upper undergraduate/graduate level designed to create a better understanding of gender ideas and women’s lives, and to integrate gender issues with all aspects of society ranging from development and religion to health. The aim is to develop necessary knowledge and expertise to introduce and develop women/gender studies programs and to have a clearer understanding of historical and cultural aspects of gender construction in Asia.

Target Groups
The course is suitable for NGOs, GOs, donors, students, teachers, activists, media persons, and concerned citizens in Asia. Most participants will be students, teachers, advisors, NGO and GO leaders/workers who deal or want to deal with women/gender issues in teaching, education and research contexts.

Outcomes
Increased conceptual clarity of gender and women’s issues in Asia, and skill to incorporate gender into research/writing and teaching. The course will equip participants with sufficient knowledge and expertise to teach a women/gender studies course effectively, and to systematically conduct research/inquiry on gender issues at the national and regional levels.

Method and Approach

The course is structured to combine a solid, thorough technical foundation in gender studies with relevant insights and experiences that are specific to Asia. Dr. Darunee Tantiwiramanond and Dr. Shashi R. Pandey (coauthers, By Women, For Women: Women's Organizations in Thailand) will co-facilitate the course with invited gender studies experts. Lectures will be a balance between theory and practical applications of gender studies methodologies. The course pedagogy is both teacher-centered and student-centered providing equal amount of time for both lecture and class discussion and exchange. Each day will focus on one topic divided into 2 sessions: morning (9-12) and afternoon (2-5). Each session will consist of 45-minute presentation, 45-minute video, and 45-minute group discussion.

The course is taught in English; Discussion can be conducted in local languages. Readers and course material will be available. Guidance will be provided for conducting research, writing reports, and making presentations.

Below is a tentative outline of the main topics and key ideas that we intend to cover. The final details may vary to accommodate the instructors' expertise and participants' interests. Since the course is only 8-day long, detailed/in-depth discussion of each topic will not be possible. Key ideas, concepts, controversies and frameworks, however, will be introduced to increase critical gender literacy and understanding of gender themes and concepts. The main goal is to demystify 'gender' and explain the why and how of gender in development in Asian societies.

Topics

Organization Profile

WARI is an independent, secular, non-profit organization based in Bangkok. It is devoted in general to the issues of socio-economic development and in particular to the issues of development and gender. The main goal of WARI is to promote gender sensitivity and capacity building of GOs & NGOs. It carries out research, education and training programs, and aims to be a regional media resource and action center. WARI carries out research so that policies are based on informed choices, and the knowledge base is expanded for deeper discussions.