Gendered and Sexual Norms in Global South Early Childhood Education - Understanding Normative Discourses in Post-Colonial Contexts

This volume examines gendered and heteronormative norms embedded within early childhood education (ECE) in the Global South including Brazil, China, Pakistan, South Africa, and Vietnam.

List of contents

1. Introduction: Gender and sexuality in Global South early childhood education 2. "He calls me babe, he says I'm sexy": Girls, boys, and sexualities in the early years 3. "No! We definitely don't teach that sort of thing": Teachers and the childhood-sexuality assemblage in South Africa 4. Beauty in Kainat (the universe): Discourses of heterosexuality in Pakistan's early childhood classrooms 5. Gender and sexuality in Brazilian early childhood education 6. "The pole is sacred": Disciplining sexuality in teaching pole dance to Brazilian children 7. "Macho males and puppy crushes": Teachers and the interplay of masculinity in the early years of primary schooling 8. When nature calls: How male teachers negotiate gender and care work in early childhood education 9. "Females are still the king": Men can't handle teaching young children 10. Autoethnographic explorations of the impacts of cultural and gender conventions that frame childhood 11. Heteronormativity in a Chinese sexuality education textbook series: The case of Cherish Lives

About the author

Deevia Bhana is DSI/NRF South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) in Gender and Childhood Sexuality at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her research examines gender and sexuality across the young life course focusing on femininities, masculinities, inequalities, reproduction, health, violence, and education.
Yuwei Xu is Associate Professor in Early Childhood Education at the University of Nottingham, UK. With a PhD in gender and early childhood studies gained from the University of Glasgow, Yuwei's research interests include gender and men's participation in early childhood education, child agency, 0-3 curriculum, child-centred pedagogy, parenting, and family relationships, play-based pedagogy, and teacher professional development.
Vina Adriany is Associate Professor in Early Childhood Education and Gender at the Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia. Her research interests are gender and social justice in the early years, childhood in marginalised communities, and the impact of neo-liberalism in education.

Product details

• Authors: Deevia (University of Kwazulu-Natal Bhana
• Assisted by: Vina Adriany (Editor), Bhana Deevia (Editor), Yuwei Xu (Editor)
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 06.05.2025
• EAN: 9781032078045
• ISBN: 978-1-0-3207804-5
• No. of pages: 208
• Series: Routledge Critical Studies in Gender and Sexuality in Education
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Education > Kindergarten and pre-school education; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; EDUCATION / General, Sociology, Cultural Studies, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Gender Studies, Anthropology, EDUCATION / Inclusive Education, EDUCATION / Comparative, Religion: general, Feminism & feminist theory, Regional Studies, Regional / International studies, Moral and social purpose of education, Feminism and feminist theory, Gender studies: men and boys, Gender Studies: Men, Pre-school & kindergarten, Pre-school and kindergarten, Moral & social purpose of education