Manifestations of gender-based harassment and violence in education

Supervisor: Professor Vanita Sundaram

A) Rationale for the project

Evidence suggests that forms of sexualised harassment and physical violence occur in educational contexts across the life course, including in early years settings, primary, secondary and tertiary education. These forms of harassment take place in different forms, through varying media and between different groups in education. Gender intersects with other characteristics in some forms of harassment and abuse. Our understanding about the multiple ways in which gender-based harassment and violence may be experienced by different stakeholders in education should be furthered.

B) References that should be read

National Education Union and UK Feminista. (2017). ‘It’s just everywhere’: A study on sexism in schools - and how we tackle it.

Page, T. Bull, A., and Chapman, E. 2019. Making Power Visible: “Slow Activism” to Address Staff Sexual Misconduct in Higher Education. Violence Against Women, 25(11): 1309-1330.

Renold, E. 2005. Girls, boys and junior sexualities: exploring children's gender and sexual relations in the primary school.. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Renold, E. 2002. Presumed Innocence: (Hetero)Sexual, Homophobic and Heterosexist Harassment among Primary School Girls and Boys. Childhood 9(4), pp. 415-434. (10.1177/0907568202009004004)

Ringrose, J. (2016). Speaking ‘unspeakable things’: documenting digital feminist responses to rape culture. Journal of Gender Studies. doi:10.1080/09589236.2016.1211511

Sundaram, V. and Sauntson, H. (2015). Discursive silences: using critical linguistic and qualitative analysis to explore the continued absence of pleasure in sex and relationships education in England. Sex Education, DOI: 10.1080/14681811.2015.1058771

Women and Equalities Committee. (2016). Sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools: Government response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session. House of Commons.

C) Research aims and questions

You will explore the multiple ways in which gender-based harassment and/or violence is experienced in educational settings. This might also include forms of disruption, resistance or challenge by students themselves, as well as practitioners in educational settings. You will focus on a specific educational context eg early years, university, informal settings.

D) Methods

You will determine your own methodology through reading and supervision. Most likely, this type of project will involve one or a combination of qualitative methods, such as focus groups, interviews, observation, ethnography, arts-based method.