Research Library

Over the last half century, research on gender has consistently debunked male superiority in mathematics. Yet, negation of children and youth on the basis of gender (and race) continue to occur in mathematics education. Scholars have increasingly focused on theorizing and examining ways to make mathematics classrooms more gender-inclusive. In this paper we synthesize prior studies from the lens of gender equity as a form of epistemic justice (Fricker, 2007). We argue that achieving epistemic justice requires an ecological research that seeks the interrelations of micro, meso, and macro levels of inequality and privilege (Weis & Fine, 2012). Together, these constructs lay the groundwork for mathematics education research to understand how do individuals and institutions negotiate, resist, or disrupt epistemic injustice in mathematics education, as established by heteropatriarchy and Whiteness? We identify six emergent themes that speak to the guiding question while highlighting nuances and complexities of studying gender equity in mathematics education. We conclude with a discussion of implications and future directions for research.