Preschool as an Arena of Gender Policies: The Examples of Sweden and Scotland

Abstract

As many countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have developed more universal provision for early childhood education during the last decades, preschool increasingly has become a central policy arena. Gender politics, especially with an aim to promote female labour market participation, but also policies addressing children and preschool staff, constitute one vital aspect. This article analyses staff responsibilities for promoting gender equality in preschool in Sweden and Scotland. These countries represent different welfare regimes, but also display common features, both influenced by tradition and recent transnational policies and discourses. Based on national policy documents from 1970 to the early 2000s, this study shows that gender equality has continuously been brought up in the Swedish context since the 1970s, but entered the Scottish context at a later stage. Since the late 1990s, such questions have been addressed in both countries. In both cases, teachers are constructed as role models who should promote certain gender values and provide children with opportunities. The Swedish curriculum places more emphasis on similarities between girls and boys, while the Scottish counterpart tends to emphasize difference more, paying attention to boys and the need for male role models. Scottish gender policies are influenced by the travelling discourse of ‘the boys' underachievement crisis’, whereas Swedish gender policies in preschool demonstrate little of this.

Early preschool environments and gender: Effects of gender pedagogy in Sweden

“…It is important to note, however, that all Swedish schools are required by law to aim for gender equality in classrooms, and thus the difference in gender-neutrality between the GN and typical settings in the present research was a matter of degree rather than absolute. For reviews of the almost entirely qualitative and sociological literature discussing issues of gender in Swedish schools, see Edström (2009), Heikkilä (2011), Wahlström (2003), and Wernersson (2009). The government-mandated national curriculum for preschools in Sweden asserts that classroom practices affect preschoolers' understanding of gender, and prescribes that "girls and boys in preschools should have the same opportunities to test and develop abilities and interests outside the limitations of stereotyped gender roles" and that "preschools should counteract traditional gender roles and gender patterns" (Skolverket, 2011, p.5).…”

Pre-Service Teachers’ Views of the Child—Reproducing or Challenging Gender Stereotypes in Science in Preschool

“…The present study was conducted at a Swedish higher education institution, with participation of 47 pre-service preschool teachers during the first 2 semesters when the students studied science (Hussénius et al 2014(Hussénius et al , 2015. A majority of the preschool pre-service teachers are female, which reflects Swedish employment patterns in preschools (Edström 2009). All of them were born in Sweden and a majority grew up in small towns and rural settings.…”

“…Eighty-three percent of children aged 1 to 5 years and 95% of children between 3 and 5 years attend preschool (Swedish Schools Inspectorate 2012). Ninety-eight percent of preschool teachers and childcare assistants are women and almost 50% have a degree in early childhood education (Edström 2009). …”

“…Swedish preschool is described internationally as 'edu-care' (Swedish Schools Inspectorate 2012), a combination of education and care. In the national curriculum framework, influenced by post-modern global discourses, the individual child is viewed as a competent co-actor (Edström 2009). The child is considered autonomous, competent, active and as a creator of her/his own knowledge, identity and culture (Corsaro 2005;Dahlberg et al 2002;Halldén 2007;James et al 1998).…”

Pedagogues’ Constructions of Gender Equality in Selected Swedish Preschools: A qualitative study

“…From the mid-1980s on a more ''pluralistic gender code'' (Vallberg Roth 1998) is apparent, although statements in the first national preschool curriculum (Skolverket 1998(Skolverket / 2010a) concern treating girls and boys the same. This curriculum, in line with education more broadly, also emphasises the freedom and responsibility of independent, self-regulating and flexible individuals (Edström 2009). In addition, the importance of pedagogues in counteracting the ''traditional'' is underlined:…”