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
Click here to view the 2020-21 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
Click here to view the 2019-20 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
Click here to view the 2018-19 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
Click here to view the 2017-18 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
Click here to view the 2016-17 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
Click here to view the 2015-16 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
Click here to view the 2014-15 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
Click here to view the 2013-14 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
Click here to view the 2012-13 report (pdf) Tim and Kari
News & Events
For information on any upcoming SIG meetings, please contact the convenors.
Newsletters
Activities & Publications
Collaborate research
Children’s perspectives of male and female Teachers. – Contact David Brody
National regulations and policies on gender equality, gender reflexive pedagogy and gender balance in ECEC. – Contact Tim Rohrmann
Publications
Some recent contributions on gender balance in ECEC
Bernacci, Erika, Di Grigoli, Antonio R., Hrženjak, Majda & Humer, Živa (Eds.) (2022). Caring masculinities in early childhood education and care services and primary schools in Europe. ECaRoM – Early Care and the Role of Men. Transnational report. Berlin: Dissens – Institut für Bildung und Forschung e.V. https://ecarom.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Transnational-report-EcaRom-final.pdf
Perspectivas em Diálogo: Revista de Educação e Sociedade (2022). Dossiê Temático: Atuação de professores homens com crianças: educação infantil e anos iniciais do ensino fundamental Perspectivas em Diálogo: Revista de Educação e Sociedade, 9 (20). https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/zeroseis/issue/view/3126
Themed issue: 14 papers with abstracts in English language, all available for full download
Sullivan, Victoria (2022). Pride and prejudice: the claiming and contesting of male participation in early childhood education and care. PhD Thesis. The University of Queensland, Brisbane. https://doi.org/10.14264/ef2d045
Xu, Yuwei, Schweisfurth, Michele & Read, Barbara (2022). Men’s participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC): comparative perspectives from Edinburgh, Scotland and Tianjin, China. Comparative Education, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050068.2022.2062950
Gender Balance Publication lists 2013-2022
Publication list SIG gender balance 2022 (updated November 2022)
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.