Researcher and consultant specialising in gender expertise and gender training. Primary research interests are the politics of doing 'feminist knowledge transfer'. I am also interested in feminist pedagogies and theories of change and how these can contribute to to transformative outcomes for gender equality.
This Compendium of Good Practices in Training for
Gender Equality brings together diverse practic... more This Compendium of Good Practices in Training for Gender Equality brings together diverse practices from several world regions. It offers in-depth information on ten different good practices, including detailed outlines of training courses; examples of dealing with challenges that arise in training for gender equality; and a collection of tools and activities for use in such training initiatives. The objective is to make both an empirical and analytical contribution to the field, with the overall aim of maximising the transformative potential of training for gender equality.
Tourism has been the basis of economic growth and stability for some time in many countries in th... more Tourism has been the basis of economic growth and stability for some time in many countries in the world. This has traditionally taken the form of foreign direct investment by the private sector in large-scale projects such as luxury hotels and resorts, or in backpacking/ ...
In many holiday destinations, the tourism industry exerts an enormous strain on water supplies. T... more In many holiday destinations, the tourism industry exerts an enormous strain on water supplies. This generates a range of social problems, not least because local inhabitants often have to compete with the tourism sector over the access, allocation and use of water for their personal and domestic needs. Nevertheless, there has been very little academic research on the link between tourism and the impact of water scarcity on destination populations in developing countries. While there is a wealth of literature on gender and tourism development, such research has tended to focus on employment relations and tourism policy and planning, neglecting ecological issues such as water. Drawing on original ethnographic research conducted in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, in 2013, this paper makes a preliminary attempt to address this gap in the literature by developing a gendered political economy approach to water in tourism development. Three key themes are identified from this research: the salience of intersectional inequalities of gender, class and nationality, in particular the different experiences of Nicaraguan women, Costa Rican women and women from the Global North; how the role of social reproduction is vital to understanding gender and water in Tamarindo due to enduring assumptions about women's perceived responsibility for water; and the gendered dimensions of conflicts over water. Such conflicts are highly gendered and contribute to reshaping of power relations in this international tourism destination. In conclusion, we argue that our findings demonstrate the need to pay attention to both intersectionality and social reproduction, as well as to identify a future research agenda for developing a gendered political economy approach to tourism and water.
Despite the prevalence of gender experts in international development institutions, their impact ... more Despite the prevalence of gender experts in international development institutions, their impact in terms of transformative feminist politics remains questionable. Gender experts, and their profession more broadly, have been strongly criticized by a range of feminists working in academic contexts. In particular, some have argued that neoliberalism and feminism have converged, framing the role of gender experts as primarily to legitimate and embed neoliberal models of development. This article engages with these critiques from the perspective of the gender expert her/himself, drawing on first-hand experiences to tease out some of the tensions and complexities of this work. After setting out some general challenges for gender experts, I focus on one particular aspect of the current gender and development paradigm – the “business case” for gender equality – and explore how it feels to work within such a framework. In doing so, I aim to reflect on the possibilities of promoting transformative change whilst at the same time acknowledging and embracing the dilemmas and contradictions involved in the daily politics of working as a gender expert.
Despite the rich and diverse tradition of research on the gender dimensions of tourism, such stud... more Despite the rich and diverse tradition of research on the gender dimensions of tourism, such studies have had little impact on transforming unequal gendered power relations in the sector itself. In this paper, we are concerned with why this is the case and what steps might be taken to redress this situation. The paper argues that the challenges inherent in gender mainstreaming processes within public policies worldwide are replicated and – to some extent – exacerbated in the tourism sector. We contend that, despite its substantive insight into the sector, the impact of such literature has been minimal. We further suggest that this is, in part, due to the sustainable tourism paradigm's resistance to incorporating gender equality and gender analysis as core principles. In order to develop these arguments, we reflect on our experiences as specialist consultants in gender and sustainable tourism, drawing out some of the key tensions of integrating gender into sustainable tourism projects. In conclusion, we argue that there is substantive work to be done for gender to be integrated into the theory and practice of sustainable tourism, offering recommendations as to how this process might be improved.
ELEVEN The gender dimensions of New Labour's international development policy Juanita El... more ELEVEN The gender dimensions of New Labour's international development policy Juanita Elias and Lucy Ferguson Introduction In this chapter, we seek to examine the gender dimensions of New Labour's international development work as well as to focus on some of the internal ...
According to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), tourism is ‘number one in the international ... more According to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), tourism is ‘number one in the international services trade’, accounting for 40 per cent of global trade in services and 6 per cent of total world trade.1 The tourism industry directly provides around 3 per cent of global employment, or 192 million jobs – the equivalent to one in every twelve jobs in
International Feminist Journal of Politics, Jan 1, 2010
... 10.1080/14616740903429080 Lucy Ferguson a * pages 3-24. ... In Women and Gender Equity in Dev... more ... 10.1080/14616740903429080 Lucy Ferguson a * pages 3-24. ... In Women and Gender Equity in Development Theory and Practice: Institutions, Resources and Mobilization , Edited by: Jaquette, JS and Summerfield, G. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. View all references). ...
This Compendium of Good Practices in Training for
Gender Equality brings together diverse practic... more This Compendium of Good Practices in Training for Gender Equality brings together diverse practices from several world regions. It offers in-depth information on ten different good practices, including detailed outlines of training courses; examples of dealing with challenges that arise in training for gender equality; and a collection of tools and activities for use in such training initiatives. The objective is to make both an empirical and analytical contribution to the field, with the overall aim of maximising the transformative potential of training for gender equality.
Tourism has been the basis of economic growth and stability for some time in many countries in th... more Tourism has been the basis of economic growth and stability for some time in many countries in the world. This has traditionally taken the form of foreign direct investment by the private sector in large-scale projects such as luxury hotels and resorts, or in backpacking/ ...
In many holiday destinations, the tourism industry exerts an enormous strain on water supplies. T... more In many holiday destinations, the tourism industry exerts an enormous strain on water supplies. This generates a range of social problems, not least because local inhabitants often have to compete with the tourism sector over the access, allocation and use of water for their personal and domestic needs. Nevertheless, there has been very little academic research on the link between tourism and the impact of water scarcity on destination populations in developing countries. While there is a wealth of literature on gender and tourism development, such research has tended to focus on employment relations and tourism policy and planning, neglecting ecological issues such as water. Drawing on original ethnographic research conducted in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, in 2013, this paper makes a preliminary attempt to address this gap in the literature by developing a gendered political economy approach to water in tourism development. Three key themes are identified from this research: the salience of intersectional inequalities of gender, class and nationality, in particular the different experiences of Nicaraguan women, Costa Rican women and women from the Global North; how the role of social reproduction is vital to understanding gender and water in Tamarindo due to enduring assumptions about women's perceived responsibility for water; and the gendered dimensions of conflicts over water. Such conflicts are highly gendered and contribute to reshaping of power relations in this international tourism destination. In conclusion, we argue that our findings demonstrate the need to pay attention to both intersectionality and social reproduction, as well as to identify a future research agenda for developing a gendered political economy approach to tourism and water.
Despite the prevalence of gender experts in international development institutions, their impact ... more Despite the prevalence of gender experts in international development institutions, their impact in terms of transformative feminist politics remains questionable. Gender experts, and their profession more broadly, have been strongly criticized by a range of feminists working in academic contexts. In particular, some have argued that neoliberalism and feminism have converged, framing the role of gender experts as primarily to legitimate and embed neoliberal models of development. This article engages with these critiques from the perspective of the gender expert her/himself, drawing on first-hand experiences to tease out some of the tensions and complexities of this work. After setting out some general challenges for gender experts, I focus on one particular aspect of the current gender and development paradigm – the “business case” for gender equality – and explore how it feels to work within such a framework. In doing so, I aim to reflect on the possibilities of promoting transformative change whilst at the same time acknowledging and embracing the dilemmas and contradictions involved in the daily politics of working as a gender expert.
Despite the rich and diverse tradition of research on the gender dimensions of tourism, such stud... more Despite the rich and diverse tradition of research on the gender dimensions of tourism, such studies have had little impact on transforming unequal gendered power relations in the sector itself. In this paper, we are concerned with why this is the case and what steps might be taken to redress this situation. The paper argues that the challenges inherent in gender mainstreaming processes within public policies worldwide are replicated and – to some extent – exacerbated in the tourism sector. We contend that, despite its substantive insight into the sector, the impact of such literature has been minimal. We further suggest that this is, in part, due to the sustainable tourism paradigm's resistance to incorporating gender equality and gender analysis as core principles. In order to develop these arguments, we reflect on our experiences as specialist consultants in gender and sustainable tourism, drawing out some of the key tensions of integrating gender into sustainable tourism projects. In conclusion, we argue that there is substantive work to be done for gender to be integrated into the theory and practice of sustainable tourism, offering recommendations as to how this process might be improved.
ELEVEN The gender dimensions of New Labour's international development policy Juanita El... more ELEVEN The gender dimensions of New Labour's international development policy Juanita Elias and Lucy Ferguson Introduction In this chapter, we seek to examine the gender dimensions of New Labour's international development work as well as to focus on some of the internal ...
According to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), tourism is ‘number one in the international ... more According to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), tourism is ‘number one in the international services trade’, accounting for 40 per cent of global trade in services and 6 per cent of total world trade.1 The tourism industry directly provides around 3 per cent of global employment, or 192 million jobs – the equivalent to one in every twelve jobs in
International Feminist Journal of Politics, Jan 1, 2010
... 10.1080/14616740903429080 Lucy Ferguson a * pages 3-24. ... In Women and Gender Equity in Dev... more ... 10.1080/14616740903429080 Lucy Ferguson a * pages 3-24. ... In Women and Gender Equity in Development Theory and Practice: Institutions, Resources and Mobilization , Edited by: Jaquette, JS and Summerfield, G. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. View all references). ...
The Politics of Feminist Knowledge Transfer. Gender Training and Gender Expertise, 2016
The Politics of Feminist Knowledge Transfer draws together analytical work on gender training and... more The Politics of Feminist Knowledge Transfer draws together analytical work on gender training and gender expertise. Its chapters critically reflect on the politics of feminist knowledge transfer, understood as an inherently political, dynamic and contested process, the overall aim of which is to transform gendered power relations in pursuit of more equal societies, workplaces, and policies. At its core, the work explores the relationship between gender expertise, gender training, and broader processes of feminist transformation arising from knowledge transfer activities. Examining these in a reflective way, the book brings a primarily practice-based debate into the academic arena. With contributions from authors of diverse backgrounds, including academics, practitioners and representatives of gender training institutions, the editors combine a focus on gender expertise and gender training, with more theory-focused chapters.
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Papers by Lucy Ferguson
Gender Equality brings together diverse practices from
several world regions. It offers in-depth information
on ten different good practices, including detailed
outlines of training courses; examples of dealing with
challenges that arise in training for gender equality;
and a collection of tools and activities for use in such
training initiatives. The objective is to make both an
empirical and analytical contribution to the field, with
the overall aim of maximising the transformative
potential of training for gender equality.
Gender Equality brings together diverse practices from
several world regions. It offers in-depth information
on ten different good practices, including detailed
outlines of training courses; examples of dealing with
challenges that arise in training for gender equality;
and a collection of tools and activities for use in such
training initiatives. The objective is to make both an
empirical and analytical contribution to the field, with
the overall aim of maximising the transformative
potential of training for gender equality.