Reconceptualizing Activism through a Feminist Care Ethics in the Ontario (Canada) Early Childhood Education Context: Enacting Caring Activism
While early childhood education (ECE) in Ontario has always had a vibrant social activist community, it is characterized by tensions within and between individuals and institutions at the minor (childcare centres, post-secondary ECE programs) and major (mainstream media, public policy) levels. ECE a...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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Series: | Social Sciences |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/2/89 |
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author | Brooke Richardson Alana Powell Lisa Johnston Rachel Langford |
author_facet | Brooke Richardson Alana Powell Lisa Johnston Rachel Langford |
author_sort | Brooke Richardson |
collection | DOAJ |
description | While early childhood education (ECE) in Ontario has always had a vibrant social activist community, it is characterized by tensions within and between individuals and institutions at the minor (childcare centres, post-secondary ECE programs) and major (mainstream media, public policy) levels. ECE activism is further complicated by the fact that it often feels impossible/unsustainable within our existing patriarchal, neoliberal political structure. In this paper we, four ECE activists and leaders, turn to feminist care ethics (FCE) to reflect on our own activism experiences and imagine a different way of doing and sustaining activism in ECE. We insist that activism be understood as a relational <i>process</i> that bridges major and minor spaces (and everything in between) in a way that cares <i>about</i>, <i>for</i>, and <i>with</i> all those involved. We enthusiastically invite other to join us on this journey, exploring and navigating the beautiful awkwardness, discomfort, tension, and possibilities in caring <i>for</i> and <i>with</i> each other in major and minor political spaces. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:08:35Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-3592a8318beb4fecbffde65b62887bf8 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2076-0760 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:08:35Z |
publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
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series | Social Sciences |
spelling | doaj.art-3592a8318beb4fecbffde65b62887bf82023-11-16T23:16:19ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602023-02-011228910.3390/socsci12020089Reconceptualizing Activism through a Feminist Care Ethics in the Ontario (Canada) Early Childhood Education Context: Enacting Caring ActivismBrooke Richardson0Alana Powell1Lisa Johnston2Rachel Langford3Department of Sociology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, CanadaAssociation of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario, Toronto, ON M6G 1A5, CanadaFaculty of Education, York University, North York, ON M3J 1P3, CanadaSchool of Early Childhood Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaWhile early childhood education (ECE) in Ontario has always had a vibrant social activist community, it is characterized by tensions within and between individuals and institutions at the minor (childcare centres, post-secondary ECE programs) and major (mainstream media, public policy) levels. ECE activism is further complicated by the fact that it often feels impossible/unsustainable within our existing patriarchal, neoliberal political structure. In this paper we, four ECE activists and leaders, turn to feminist care ethics (FCE) to reflect on our own activism experiences and imagine a different way of doing and sustaining activism in ECE. We insist that activism be understood as a relational <i>process</i> that bridges major and minor spaces (and everything in between) in a way that cares <i>about</i>, <i>for</i>, and <i>with</i> all those involved. We enthusiastically invite other to join us on this journey, exploring and navigating the beautiful awkwardness, discomfort, tension, and possibilities in caring <i>for</i> and <i>with</i> each other in major and minor political spaces.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/2/89feminist care ethicsactivismadvocacyearly childhood educationchildcare |
spellingShingle | Brooke Richardson Alana Powell Lisa Johnston Rachel Langford Reconceptualizing Activism through a Feminist Care Ethics in the Ontario (Canada) Early Childhood Education Context: Enacting Caring Activism Social Sciences feminist care ethics activism advocacy early childhood education childcare |
title | Reconceptualizing Activism through a Feminist Care Ethics in the Ontario (Canada) Early Childhood Education Context: Enacting Caring Activism |
title_full | Reconceptualizing Activism through a Feminist Care Ethics in the Ontario (Canada) Early Childhood Education Context: Enacting Caring Activism |
title_fullStr | Reconceptualizing Activism through a Feminist Care Ethics in the Ontario (Canada) Early Childhood Education Context: Enacting Caring Activism |
title_full_unstemmed | Reconceptualizing Activism through a Feminist Care Ethics in the Ontario (Canada) Early Childhood Education Context: Enacting Caring Activism |
title_short | Reconceptualizing Activism through a Feminist Care Ethics in the Ontario (Canada) Early Childhood Education Context: Enacting Caring Activism |
title_sort | reconceptualizing activism through a feminist care ethics in the ontario canada early childhood education context enacting caring activism |
topic | feminist care ethics activism advocacy early childhood education childcare |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/2/89 |
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