The gender ideology inscribed in the mission statements of single-sex secondary schools in Queensland

Abstract

This thesis aims to 'analyse the mission statements of single-sex secondary schools in Queensland to identify the gender ideology inscribed within'. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is a particularly powerful tool for the task. It not only permits a micro level analysis of the text used to discursively position girls and boys in schools, but enables a consideration of the wider social context within which the text is located. For the textual analysis (vocabulary and grammar), this thesis is guided by the approach of Norman Fairclough. The visual analysis is guided by the approach of Kress and van Leewen. The analysis reveals vocabulary choices, grammatical structures and visual representations that construct a multidimensional view of the gender ideology encapsulated in school mission statements, showing that girls and boys are indeed discursively positioned by their schools. The results provide robust support for the prevailing view that in Australia, schooling remains a gendered experience.