We are constantly told by advocates of affirmative action that the under-representation of racial, ethnic, or gender groups in a program is evidence of a problem that must be remedied. As such, IÂ’d like to encourage colleges and universities to implement affirmative action programs to guarantee that the proportion of individuals in these study abroad programs.

In recent years, as study abroad has ballooned across the nation, fueled by growth in short-term programs and increasing diversity in participating students’ majors and destinations, a 2-to-1 female-to-male ratio has stayed remarkably stagnant. In 2006-7, the most recent year for which data are available, 65.1 percent of Americans studying abroad were women, and 34.9 percent men. A decade earlier — when the total number of study abroad students was less than half its current total — the breakdown was 64.9 percent female, 35.1 percent male, according to Institute of International Education Open Doors statistics.

I’d bet that if there would be task forces, special programs and howling by the professional victim’s groups (like AAUW) over what would appear to be a violation of Title IX if these figures were reversed. Yet somehow this disparity has been permitted to fester over the years, with women being denied the benefits of an appropriately diverse educational experience when they study abroad. Shouldn’t something be done – using the very arguments used to eliminate men’s athletic programs and establish special scholarships for women and minorities? Or does this situation serve as confirmation that the claimed goals of equality and equity are actually nothing more than excuses to engage in indefensible discrimination?

Of course it does, as illustrated by this anecdote.

The persistent gender gap is regularly described as an object of interest in the field — if not an object of intense concern compared to, for instance, the similarly stagnant and low numbers of racial minorities studying abroad. (“I’ve made myself a little unpopular occasionally when I’ve been in sessions on under-represented groups in study abroad and I bring up the issue of men in study abroad,” (William) Hoffa said).

Yeah, that’s right – only under-representation of victim classes is a problem. Daring to suggest otherwise makes one “unpopular” due to the sin of political incorrectness.

H/T NROÂ’s Phi Beta Cons

Posted by: Greg at 12:27 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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