Dr. Ferree uses a discursive approach to explore the paradoxes of how gender equality politics intersects with liberal as well as neoliberal reform projects in universities. The ongoing struggles over meaning of higher education provide the context in which the global dynamics of academic capitalism and global modernization create different challenges and opportunities for gender equality advocates in Germany and the US. She specifically examines the discourses of diversity management and gender mainstreaming as frames for accountability and excellence in these and other universities.