In order to guarantee that each individual is free to pursue his/her potential, each member of AACD is charged to (a) engage in ongoing examination of his/her own attitudes, feelings, stereotypic views, perceptions and behaviors that might have prejudicial or limiting impact on women, ethnic, minorities, elderly persons, gay/lesbian persons and persons with handicapping conditions; (b) contribute to an increased sensitivity on the part of other individuals, groups or institutions to the barriers to opportunity imposed by discrimination; (c) advocate equal rights for all individuals through concerted personal, professional and political activity. (Position paper of the Human Rights Committee of the American Association for Counseling and Development, 1987, p.1)

Resumen Tradicionalmente la ciencia y tecnología se vinculaban a los estudiantes masculinos y, aunque es una división superada en determinados lugares, las investigaciones relacionadas sobre la cuestión de género siguen siendo motivo de especial interés por su trascendencia social. Este trabajo analiza las diferencias de rendimiento académico en determinadas materias en el nivel educativo de enseñanza secundaria, en un caso en España, donde una muestra de estudiantes revela un dominio interdisciplinar del rendimiento de las chicas sobre los chicos. Aunque actualmente no existen materias específicamente para hombres o mujeres, se detectan diferencias que serán significativas cuando estos alumnos aborden los estudios superiores de ingeniería. La contextualización científica ha destacado el peso del aspecto motivacional inicial en los estudiantes y los hallazgos específicos en este trabajo indican que la reducida decisión de seguir estudios superiores técnicos no correlaciona positivamente con los rendimientos académicos obtenidos en los niveles previos a la universidad. Es más, la acción educativa en enseñanzas medias reduce la diferencia en los resultados académicos de determinadas materias. A pesar de esta corriente igualitaria, las tendencias actuales se dirigen a un crecimiento limitado de las alumnas en estas especialidades formativas, y si partimos de una cantidad inicial de mujeres pequeña, es poco probable que se configuren como elemento dominante en las ingenierías.

Hope for development seems to be weathering. In recent years, research on development issues and developmental strategies has been replaced by a burgeoning literature on conflict analysis, conflict transformation and peace building. As the World is confronted with the catastrophic effects of free trade and open financial markets globalization –a catastrophe in terms of quality of life for the majority of the people, as well as in terms of social, gender and economic equality and environmental sustainability– we all are defied by the urgent need to make sense of this state of widespread political violence, Human Rights violations and massive international migration. The purpose of this work is to consider some ethical, theoretical and methodological issues about conducting research on conflict, and especially when dealing with the victims and their attempt to have their voices heard, and to move from victimization to social agency. In part one we give some consideration to the impact of contemporary violence and its manifestations. The second part reviews some of the most influential theories on political violence. The last part deals with some ethical and methodological challenges that stem from the task.