Gender Balance

Convenors:

Prof. Dr. Tim Rohrmann, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Hildesheim, Germany
Prof. Kari Emilsen, Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education, Norway

together with:
David Brody, Efrata College of Education, Jerusalem, Israel
Birgitte Ljunggren, Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education, Norway
Vicky Sullivan, University of Queensland, Australia
Jo Warin, Lancaster University, United Kingdom
Yuwei Xu, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom

Purpose

For some years now, researchers from several countries have formed an international network on the issue of men, women and gender balance in the ECEC work force. Since 2010, members of the network organised research symposia on the annual conferences of EECERA. 2012, the network initiated a Special Interest Group within EECERA.

The SIG focuses on the issue of gender balance in the ECE work force, and on the important role gender plays in adult-child-relations. Although there have been discussions about rising the proportion of male ECE workers for more than two decades, the theme remains an issue. Recently, several research projects were conducted, and in some countries governmental funded programmes have been started for bringing more men in the profession of Early Childhood Education and Care.

The members of the SIG support the aim of increasing the proportion of male workers towards a more gender-balanced ECEC work force. At the same time there is a need for a more differentiated view. Research is necessary e.g. on the significance of ECEC workers’ gender for children’s development, the interrelations of gender balance in the workforce and the promotion of gender equality, on gender-sensitive strategies for recruitment for ECE training and work, on recruitment and retention of men in the ECEC workforce, and on gender relations in ECEC in general.

The SIG focuses on the links of research, practice and policy, intends to provide an academic forum for the promotion, development and dissemination of research, and facilitates cooperation and collaboration between researchers in the field.

More information about the SIG, presentations, publications and projects can be found at http://www.siggender.eu

Report

News & Events

For information on any upcoming SIG meetings, please contact the convenors.

Newsletters

SIG Newsletter December 2023

SIG Newsletter January 2023

SIG Newsletter AUGUST 2022

SIG Newsletter JUNE 2022

Activities & Publications

SIG Gender Balance Think Tank 2024 – Online Seminar:

Thursday 7th March 2024, 12.00-15.00 GMT, Online

The Gender Balance SIG (EECERA) is organising our 2024 “Think Tank”, an online conference focusing on Promoting Sustainable Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within Early Childhood Education (ECE). We invite presentations from researchers who are doing current research related to this focus, and/or who can contribute to theoretical/conceptual discussions. The goal is that the presentations will then be developed into a new special issue. This new special issue builds on two previous issues in 2015 and 2020, and will explore how the topic of gender in ECE can be advanced in a sustainable future.

Proposals for presentations/enquiries should be sent to Joanne.mchale@tudublin.ie by 20th February 2024

SIG research conference:

Tuesday, 3rd September 2024, Brighton/UK, 9.00-16.00

More info: Please contact Tim Rohrmann

Early Career Researchers Group

More info: Please contact Joanne McHale

Collaborate research

Multilingual evaluation of a picture book for children about an intersex child

Please contact Tim Rohrmann

Publications

Some recent contributions on gender balance in ECEC

Childlinks (Eds.) (2023). Men in Early Childhood Education and Care [Special issue]. Childlinks (2). https://shop.barnardos.ie/products/ebook-childlinks-men-in-early-childhood-education-and-care-issue-2-2023

Bhana, Deevia, Xu, Yuwei & Adriany, Vina (Eds.) (2023). Gendered and sexual norms in global south early childhood education. London: Routledge.

Devineau, Sophie (éd.) (2023). Une mixité professionnelle contrainte par le genre. Des hommes dans les métiers de la prime enfance. Rouen: Presses universitaires de Rouen et du Havre.

Emilsen, Kari, Kjeldsaas, Lene & Friis, Pia (2023). Menn i barnehagen – hvorfor og hvordan. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget.

Gender Balance Publication lists 2013-2023

Publication list SIG gender balance 2023

Publication list SIG gender balance 2022 (updated December 2023)

Publication list SIG gender balance 2021 (November 2022)

Publication list SIG gender balance 2020 (November 2022)

Publication list SIG gender balance 2018 (updated October 2020)

Publication list SIG gender balance 2017 (updated October 2020)

Publication list SIG gender balance 2016 (updated October 2020)

Publication list SIG gender balance 2015 (updated October 2020)

Publication list SIG gender balance 2014 (updated September 2016)

Publication list SIG gender balance 2013 (updated June 2015)

Presentations

The Gender SIG has organised symposia at the EECERA Annual conferences since 2009 and SIG research conferences since 2013. All presentations from these symposia and conferences are available on www.siggender.eu, subpage ‘documentations’. Feel free to have a look!

Links & Partners

Researchers interested in the issue of gender balance in the ECE workforce, and the important role gender plays in adult-child-relations, can join our Facebook group SIG Gender EECERA.