Challenges and Hopes: a Woman as an Academic in the International Relations program

Karawang, Indonesia- In the era of Globalization with the development of education and technology, the public is witnessing an increase in awareness of gender equality, especially in the study of International Relations. 

Increased awareness of gender equality can be seen from the increasingly open opportunities for women to have careers to get strategic roles and the achievements of female academics in publications. One of the factors that encourage this is the privilege obtained by an academic. This privilege has automatically created an understanding of gender equality in the academic environment, making it easier for colleagues to understand each other and create an equal and healthy work environment.

This was spoken directly by Prilla Marsingga, S. Sos., M. I.Pol, Lecturer in Gender and Sexuality at University of Singaperbangsa Karawang when asked about the challenges of being a female lecturer in International Relations studies, on Thursday (28/03/2024). 

"As a female lecturer, in the academic world, at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, I think awareness of gender equality is quite high. Because we are individuals who already have privileges. Privileges in the academic world, which in my opinion here are equal opportunities for women and men, we are equally developing each other career-wise and so on."

Talking about gender equality is not far from the discussion of feminism. Before the existence of feminism, historically, the study of International Relations was considered less accessible to women and very masculine.

Prilla Marsingga revealed "Theoretically, for the application of theory in International Relations, it is often more masculine. for example, the perspective of the state is too masculine, while this feminist perspective then opens up opportunities for new thinking in post-positivism, that all foreign policies can be seen not only from masculinity." 

Prilla Marsingga also highlighted that the existence of feminism is a new breakthrough for teaching Gender and Sexuality in globalization.

 "Talking about sovereignty, talking about power, and soft or high power are all masculine. But here feminism makes a new approach. Yes, that's what is also new for teaching in Gender and Sexuality in globalization." 

The importance of understanding gender equality must be pursued. In the context of teaching Gender and Sexuality studies in International Relations, according to Prilla Marsingga, this is an interesting thing for students, because it is a relevant issue, in our daily lives. 

"So teaching students, we just share and discuss how to respond to a patriarchal world," she said.