The Gender and Sexuality Research in Education SIG aims to provide a forum for researchers and educators to showcase and celebrate the important, interdisciplinary and innovative work in this quickly expanding international field. A forum to discuss theory, policy and practice related issues. It aims to proactively support G&S educators, researchers and key stakeholders to collectively think about the value of the work done in this area and the exciting impacts it can have on schools, educational communities and societies. It is envisioned that this proposed SIG will bring together national and international researchers and educators from diverse research perspectives and interdisciplinary areas at early and advanced career points.
Contact us
If interested in becoming a member of the ESAI Gender and Sexuality Research in Education SIG and included in our mailing list please contact one of our SIG Convenors:
Dr Leanne Coll leanne.coll@dcu.ie
Dr Aoife Neary aoife.neary@ul.ie
ESAI G&S SIG Report & Update 2023-2024
During our first year as a newly formed SIG, we focused our attention on widening and increasing membership, ensuring that the SIG was meeting the needs of scholars at a national level and building strategic partnerships with parallel groups internationally. The summary below provides an outline of some of the key SIG related activities, events and meetings 2023-2024.
July 2023 ‘Being and becoming a gender and sexuality education researcher and academic’ Event: This online event was a collaboration between ESAI G&S & BERA G&S SIG. Bringing members together from across Ireland and the UK the event focused on what it means to survive and thrive as a G&S academic and researcher, with a special emphasis on care, ethics, inclusivity and intersectionality.
November 2023 Annual SIG Meeting: During our inaugural annual meeting, 13 members of the SIG came together to work together to shape and enhance the significance of the work of the SIG for the year ahead. A sub-committee group also formed at this meeting to submit a symposium abstract for the 2024 ESAI Conference event. The SIG membership increased to 28 members across multiple institutions across Ireland and international affiliate members.
April 2024 ESAI Annual Conference [Maynooth]: the SIG Symposium ‘Researching Gender & Sexualities in Education’ which included five lightening presentations (5mins each) and follow up roundtable discussion, was an important opportunity to carve collaborative sharing spaces for members to connect. Contributions on the day included:
- Memoirs and Manifestos for Careers in Gender and Sexuality Research in Education: Dr Leanne Coll, Dublin City University
- Researching LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Primary Schools: Lessons Learned and Questions Raised: Dr Aoife Neary, University of Limerick
- Sensitively Researching Vulnerable Populations in G&S Research in Education: Reflections from the field: Dr Declan Fahie, University College Dublin
- The Data We’ve Been Waiting for… and Cannot Use!: Negotiating Difficult Data from the Athena Swan Process: Author: Dr Kevin Davison, University of Galway
- WTF: WhiTher education For all?: Audrey Halpin, Dublin City University
This symposium enabled knowledge sharing and collegial dialogue between SIG members around contemporary issues related to G&S studies. It was also an opportunity for members to discuss important synergies between their work and to plan for future partnership and capacity building opportunities.
May 2024: The G&S SIG conveners, members and affiliates submitted a formal submission to the NCCA consultation regarding the draft Wellbeing Primary Specification. This was an example of how the work of the SIG is significant at a wider level and might have impact beyond academia.
Upcoming SIG Events 2024-2025
Nov 2024: G&S SIG annual meeting will take place online in November [date TBC]. If you are interested in joining the SIG and would like to attend our annual meeting, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with Leanne or Aoife.
Jan 2025: The SIG will host an online seminar series focused on ‘Methodological Innovations in Gender & Sexualities Research in Education’. This three part series will include seminars from a range of national and international scholars focused on methodological innovations in the area of G&S Research in Education. The event has been carefully crafted with a particular focus on capacity building and support for our growing PhD student and early career members.
April 2025: building on the Jan 2025 seminar series the ESAI G&S SIG will be preparing a symposium for the ESAI Annual Conference 2025 which will take place in Athlone from 10th-12th April.
