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Creating Spaces of Feminine Possibilities in the Academy

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(Re)birthing the Feminine in Academe

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education ((GED))

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Abstract

The chapter explores feminine possibilities in the authors’ roles as academics and early childhood education and care practitioners. Using dialogue, personal journaling and contemplative methodology, the authors explore how their spaces and roles in the academy have been shaped, and how they have suppressed and hidden knowledge in order to fit in. Developing on the metaphor of the academy as a neoliberal machine, acts of inauthenticity and resistance are explored. Dawney’s idea of interruption is used to foreground contemplative practices and alternative perspectives associated with the feminine. The chapter concludes with a call for a sustainable relationship between the university and the feminine through the active promotion of fluidity, quiet resistance, peaceful interruption, authentic being and collaborative approaches to academic life.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Sandy Farquhar & Justine O’Hara-Gregan

Authors
  1. Sandy Farquhar
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  2. Justine O’Hara-Gregan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sandy Farquhar .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia

    Linda Henderson

  2. School of Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia

    Alison L. Black

  3. Department of Education, Communication & Learning, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Västra Götalands Län, Sweden

    Susanne Garvis

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Farquhar, S., O’Hara-Gregan, J. (2020). Creating Spaces of Feminine Possibilities in the Academy. In: Henderson, L., Black, A., Garvis, S. (eds) (Re)birthing the Feminine in Academe. Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38211-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38211-7_4

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-38210-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-38211-7

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

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