<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> The development of gendered identities during early childhood and youth occurs in a context of ‘body culture’ and the hyper-visibility of ‘perfect’ bodies, which align with traditional gender ideals. Embodied methods can assist to make complexity more visible, and to allow participants to see fluidity, shifts, and becoming. Whilst there has been significant theoretical development, further methodological innovations are needed to enable children and youth to articulate their perceptions of the way multiple influences shape their relations with their own bodies. Informed by ‘new materialist’ feminist theory this article will examine the work of Australian educators exploring use of creative and embodied drama-based play. The chapter advances methodologies to support pedagogical engagement with young children and youth about gender, identity and social change. The authors explore how embodied creative play can be used across ages to support children and young people to articulate the ways social norms and expectations influence their desires, imaginings, fears and actions and their perceptions of what is possible, desirable or appropriate in relation to performances of gender in their everyday worlds.</p></abstract>

The development of gendered identities during early childhood and youth occurs in a context of ‘body culture’ and the hyper-visibility of ‘perfect’ bodies, which align with traditional gender ideals. Embodied methods can assist to make complexity more visible, and to allow participants to see fluidity, shifts, and becoming. Whilst there has been significant theoretical development, further methodological innovations are needed to enable children and youth to articulate their perceptions of the way multiple influences shape their relations with their own bodies. Informed by ‘new materialist’ feminist theory this article will examine the work of Australian educators exploring use of creative and embodied drama-based play. The chapter advances methodologies to support pedagogical engagement with young children and youth about gender, identity and social change. The authors explore how embodied creative play can be used across ages to support children and young people to articulate the ways social norms and expectations influence their desires, imaginings, fears and actions and their perceptions of what is possible, desirable or appropriate in relation to performances of gender in their everyday worlds.

Exploring embodied methodologies for transformative practice in early childhood and youth

University of Melbourne, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Youth Research Centre, Australia

University of Newcastle, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Australia

University of Melbourne Melbourne, Graduate School of Education, Australia

Journal of Pedagogy

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The development of gendered identities during early childhood and youth occurs in a context of ‘body culture’ and the hyper-visibility of ‘perfect’ bodies,...

Exploring embodied methodologies for transformative practice in early childhood and youth

Published Online: Aug 19, 2016

Page range: 79 - 92

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jped-2016-0005

Keywords
new materialism, embodiment, post-humanism, feminism, gender

© by Helen Cahill

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Exploring embodied methodologies for transformative practice in early childhood and youth

Published Online: Aug 19, 2016

Page range: 79 - 92

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jped-2016-0005

Keywordsnew materialism, embodiment, post-humanism, feminism, gender

© by Helen Cahill

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
new materialism, embodiment, post-humanism, feminism, gender