SHIFTING PATRIARCHAL VALUES AND STRENGTHENING EQUALITY IN INDONESIAN FAMILIES THROUGH GENDER COURSE
Keywords:
Family;, Equality;, Eurasia Foundation, Patriarchy, Gender
Abstract
The research examines if an extensive one-semester-long gender course for the International Relations undergraduate students could shift their perspectives on patriarchal values within family structures. Patriarchal value is indeed deeply rooted in the society where it manifests in how men and women perceive their roles within the smallest units, like family, and wider society. We employed qualitative research with structured interviews and focus group discussions. We interviewed 57 enrolled students before they completed the course. Google Forms, which contained open-ended questions, were also distributed to all respondents. We also conducted FGD to gain deeper insights to dig their perception regarding patriarchy values. After collecting primary data, we also conducted desk research by analyzing certain journals, books, and reports related to patriarchal shifting within family settings. Our finding shows that there is an awareness raising to gender division perception among students. After participating in the gender class, students' views on gender roles have changed, suggesting that extensive exposure to gender education can help shift perceptions and raise awareness of gender among students
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Abadeer, A. S. Z. (2015). Cultural relativism and gender-discriminating norms. In Norms and Gender Discrimination in the Arab World (pp. 53–70). Palgrave Macmillan US. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137395283_3
Abate, B. B., Sendekie, A. K., Ayele, M., Lake, E. S., Wodaynew, T., Tilahun, B. D., Azmeraw, M., Habtie, T. E., Kassa, M., Munie, M. A., Temesgen, D., Merchaw, A., Alamaw, A. W., Zemariam, A. B., Kitaw, T. A., Kassaw, A., Kassie, A. M., Yilak, G., Kassa, M. A., … Alene, K. A. (2024). Mapping fertility rates at national, sub-national, and local levels in Ethiopia between 2000 and 2019. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1363284
Bethencourt, C., & Santos, D. (2025). Gender-role identity in adolescence and women fertility in adulthood. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 240, 107250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2025.107250
Chen, Y., & Hu, D. (2021). Gender norms and marriage satisfaction: Evidence from China. China Economic Review, 68, 101627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2021.101627
Child, L. M. (2022). The patriarchal institution, as described by members of its own family (1860). In Antislavery Political Writings, 1833–1860 (pp. 3–23). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003316848-2
Cin, F. M., & Walker, M. (2016). Reconsidering girls’ education in Turkey from a capabilities and feminist perspective. International Journal of Educational Development, 49, 134–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2016.02.007
Dagdeviren, H., & Oosterbaan, L. (2022). Gender differences in effective use of land rights in South India. Land Use Policy, 119, 106212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106212
Daulay, H., & Saladin, T. I. (2018). Macho and patriarchal domination in student perception. Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramification Researches, 1561–1565. https://doi.org/10.5220/0010089015611565
Deshpande, A., & Kabeer, N. (2021). Norms that matter: Exploring the distribution of women’s work between income generation, expenditure-saving, and unpaid domestic responsibilities in India. In WIDER Working Paper. UNU-WIDER. https://doi.org/10.35188/unu-wider/2021/070-2
Elbert, S. (2021). Women and farming: changing structures, changing roles. In Women and Farming (pp. 245–264). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429267666-20
Hermaleni, T. (2021). Gender ideology and marital satisfaction on husbands with working wives. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Psychological Studies, 39–42. https://doi.org/10.5220/0010808500003347
Imhanrenialena, B. O., Ebhotemhen, W., Agbaeze, E. K., Eze, N. C., & Oforkansi, E. S. (2024). Exploring how institutionalized patriarchy relates to career outcomes among African women: Evidence from Nigeria. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 40(1), 43–63. https://doi.org/10.1108/gm-06-2023-0223
Islam, M. S., Sarker, M. F. H., Azimul Ehsan, S. M., & Sohel, M. S. (2025). Rethinking women empowerment in rural Bangladesh: Male out-migration, left-behind wives, and changing gender roles. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 11, 101425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101425
Jain, A. (2022). Women in India are Subject to a Number of Patriarchal Social and Legal Norms. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 11(12), 536–538. https://doi.org/10.21275/sr221203174803
Lee, J., Wang, C., & Lui, I. D. (2025). Exploring gender differences in multidimensional social-emotional competence from developmental and cross-cultural perspectives. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 6, 100137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100137
Lentz, E., Jensen, N., Lepariyo, W., Narayanan, S., & Bageant, E. (2025). Adapting the Women’s empowerment in nutrition index: Lessons from Kenya. World Development, 188, 106887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106887
Li, W. (2025). A room of her own: Gender, power, and emotional resistance among rural Chinese girls. Emotion, Space and Society, 57, 101120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2025.101120
Omar Elsaltani, M., & Foster, A. M. (2025). Protectors or perpetrators? The paradox of male guardianship and gender-based violence in Libya: A multi-method qualitative study. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, 8, 100623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100623
Peppin Vaughan, R. (2025). Does women’s education improve the sex ratio at birth? Gender, agency and sex-selective abortion in South and East Asia: A critical literature review. Women’s Studies International Forum, 109, 103050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2024.103050
Portengen, R., & van der Neut, B. (2018). Assessing family strengths – a family systems approach. In Fostering Kinship (pp. 49–68). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429452420-5
Shepherd, L. J. (2022). (why) gender matters in global politics. In Gender Matters in Global Politics (pp. 60–74). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003036432-7
Singh, Dr. S. (2021). Patriarchy-a tool for men-women subjugation-an analysis of bell hooks’ ’understanding patriarchy. International Journal of Applied Research, 7(3), 138–140. https://doi.org/10.22271/allresearch.2021.v7.i3c.8383
Sjoberg, L. (2015). Intimacy, warfare, and gender hierarchy. Political Geography, 44, 74–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2014.09.008
Strid, S., & Hearn, J. (2022). Violence and patriarchy. In Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, & Conflict (pp. 319–327). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-820195-4.00108-4
Yaiche, O., Guenifa, N., & Bouzeghaya, N. (2025). Violence against women and girls with disabilities in Algeria: A case study. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 12, 101678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101678
Zhang, H. (2022). The pressures on leftover women and men under the Chinese patriarchal system. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 85–91. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijssh.2022.v12.1071
Abate, B. B., Sendekie, A. K., Ayele, M., Lake, E. S., Wodaynew, T., Tilahun, B. D., Azmeraw, M., Habtie, T. E., Kassa, M., Munie, M. A., Temesgen, D., Merchaw, A., Alamaw, A. W., Zemariam, A. B., Kitaw, T. A., Kassaw, A., Kassie, A. M., Yilak, G., Kassa, M. A., … Alene, K. A. (2024). Mapping fertility rates at national, sub-national, and local levels in Ethiopia between 2000 and 2019. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1363284
Bethencourt, C., & Santos, D. (2025). Gender-role identity in adolescence and women fertility in adulthood. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 240, 107250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2025.107250
Chen, Y., & Hu, D. (2021). Gender norms and marriage satisfaction: Evidence from China. China Economic Review, 68, 101627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2021.101627
Child, L. M. (2022). The patriarchal institution, as described by members of its own family (1860). In Antislavery Political Writings, 1833–1860 (pp. 3–23). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003316848-2
Cin, F. M., & Walker, M. (2016). Reconsidering girls’ education in Turkey from a capabilities and feminist perspective. International Journal of Educational Development, 49, 134–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2016.02.007
Dagdeviren, H., & Oosterbaan, L. (2022). Gender differences in effective use of land rights in South India. Land Use Policy, 119, 106212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106212
Daulay, H., & Saladin, T. I. (2018). Macho and patriarchal domination in student perception. Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramification Researches, 1561–1565. https://doi.org/10.5220/0010089015611565
Deshpande, A., & Kabeer, N. (2021). Norms that matter: Exploring the distribution of women’s work between income generation, expenditure-saving, and unpaid domestic responsibilities in India. In WIDER Working Paper. UNU-WIDER. https://doi.org/10.35188/unu-wider/2021/070-2
Elbert, S. (2021). Women and farming: changing structures, changing roles. In Women and Farming (pp. 245–264). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429267666-20
Hermaleni, T. (2021). Gender ideology and marital satisfaction on husbands with working wives. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Psychological Studies, 39–42. https://doi.org/10.5220/0010808500003347
Imhanrenialena, B. O., Ebhotemhen, W., Agbaeze, E. K., Eze, N. C., & Oforkansi, E. S. (2024). Exploring how institutionalized patriarchy relates to career outcomes among African women: Evidence from Nigeria. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 40(1), 43–63. https://doi.org/10.1108/gm-06-2023-0223
Islam, M. S., Sarker, M. F. H., Azimul Ehsan, S. M., & Sohel, M. S. (2025). Rethinking women empowerment in rural Bangladesh: Male out-migration, left-behind wives, and changing gender roles. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 11, 101425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101425
Jain, A. (2022). Women in India are Subject to a Number of Patriarchal Social and Legal Norms. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 11(12), 536–538. https://doi.org/10.21275/sr221203174803
Lee, J., Wang, C., & Lui, I. D. (2025). Exploring gender differences in multidimensional social-emotional competence from developmental and cross-cultural perspectives. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 6, 100137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100137
Lentz, E., Jensen, N., Lepariyo, W., Narayanan, S., & Bageant, E. (2025). Adapting the Women’s empowerment in nutrition index: Lessons from Kenya. World Development, 188, 106887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106887
Li, W. (2025). A room of her own: Gender, power, and emotional resistance among rural Chinese girls. Emotion, Space and Society, 57, 101120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2025.101120
Omar Elsaltani, M., & Foster, A. M. (2025). Protectors or perpetrators? The paradox of male guardianship and gender-based violence in Libya: A multi-method qualitative study. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, 8, 100623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100623
Peppin Vaughan, R. (2025). Does women’s education improve the sex ratio at birth? Gender, agency and sex-selective abortion in South and East Asia: A critical literature review. Women’s Studies International Forum, 109, 103050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2024.103050
Portengen, R., & van der Neut, B. (2018). Assessing family strengths – a family systems approach. In Fostering Kinship (pp. 49–68). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429452420-5
Shepherd, L. J. (2022). (why) gender matters in global politics. In Gender Matters in Global Politics (pp. 60–74). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003036432-7
Singh, Dr. S. (2021). Patriarchy-a tool for men-women subjugation-an analysis of bell hooks’ ’understanding patriarchy. International Journal of Applied Research, 7(3), 138–140. https://doi.org/10.22271/allresearch.2021.v7.i3c.8383
Sjoberg, L. (2015). Intimacy, warfare, and gender hierarchy. Political Geography, 44, 74–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2014.09.008
Strid, S., & Hearn, J. (2022). Violence and patriarchy. In Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, & Conflict (pp. 319–327). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-820195-4.00108-4
Yaiche, O., Guenifa, N., & Bouzeghaya, N. (2025). Violence against women and girls with disabilities in Algeria: A case study. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 12, 101678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101678
Zhang, H. (2022). The pressures on leftover women and men under the Chinese patriarchal system. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 85–91. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijssh.2022.v12.1071
Published
2026-06-01
How to Cite
Nizmi, Y. E., Retnaningsih, U. O., Olivia, Y., Hidayati, U., Yulia, R., Wicaksa, A., Purwasandi, P., Takwa, T. K., & Alby, S. (2026). SHIFTING PATRIARCHAL VALUES AND STRENGTHENING EQUALITY IN INDONESIAN FAMILIES THROUGH GENDER COURSE. Journal of Social Political Sciences, 7(2), 198-212. https://doi.org/10.52166/jsps.v7i2.331
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2026 Yusnarida Eka Nizmi, Umi Oktyari Retnaningsih, Yessi Olivia, Umunnisa Hidayati, Rahmi Yulia, Arif Wicaksa, Purwasandi Purwasandi, Tuah Kalti Takwa, Syahroni Alby
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
