Associate Professor Kerry Robinson

• Biography
• Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise
• Grants / Current Projects
• Awards and Recognition
• Publications
• Contact Details

Biography

Associate Professor Robinson is a leading scholar in the field of childhood studies, and in diversity, equity and social justice in educational contexts. This is reflected through her competitive national ARC grants, the publication of her scholarly works in prestigious international journals and books published by leading commercial academic publishers, invitations to participate in the broader scholarly arena in significant ways, and through a distinguished teaching track record. A/P Robinson is currently the Australian/New Zealand regional editor (invited) for the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, an ERA ‘A’ ranked journal. She is an invited reader/expert on the Australian Research Council; as well as an international reader/expert on the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian national competitive grants scheme equivalent to the Australian Research Council. She is the recipient of a Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning Award for her innovative curriculum and transformative pedagogies that inspire and motivate students to learn, and scholarly research that enhances learning and teaching. She also received a NSW Minister for Education and Training & The Australian College of Educators Quality Teaching Award, a UWS Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award, as well as a UWS College of Arts Citation Award for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.

Qualifications

BA (Wollongong), DipEd (Wollongong), MA (UNSW), PhD (UNSW)

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Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise

Gender and Sexuality Studies; Gendered and Sexualised Violence; Childhood and Youth Studies; Diversity and Difference; Citizenship; Moral Panic; Transformative Pedagogies; Research Methodologies; Socio-Cultural Theory.

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Grants / Current Projects

ARC Discovery (2011- 2013): The tensions for parents, educators and children in building a sustainable culture of ethical and respectful relationships early in life. Robinson, Carmody and Dyson (LaTrobe)

Semann & Slattery and Child Australia (2010): Using performed ethnography for reflective practice with early childhood education professionals in NT and WA. Robinson.

Marrickville Council Community Grant, 2007: This project is about increasing community awareness about family diversity and the issues facing gay men, lesbians, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities. This is the initial component of a larger project that will develop an educational package around the issues facing children/youth and their families who identify as non-heterosexual. Davies, Robinson.

Australian Research Council Linkages Grant, 2005-7. From high school to higher education: Gendered Pathways into ICCTs - with Professor Margaret Vickers, Dr Carol Reid, Dr Susanne Gannon, Ms Cristyn Davies from UWS; Dr Julianne Lynch, Dr Catherine Harris, and Dr Leonie Rowan from Deakin University; and Professor Toni Downes from Charles Sturt University.

Department of Education and Training Research Tender, 2005. An Evaluation of the Safe Schools- Making the links pilot project – with Margaret Vickers, Tania Ferfolja, Maggie Clarke.

South Penrith & Neighbourhood Services Inc. and the Department of Community Services, 2003. Access and Equity Issues Facing Young People from Diverse Sexualities: Perspectives from Youth Service Providers in Western Sydney.

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Awards and Recognition

Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning Award 2007: For specialist expertise in innovative curriculum and transformative pedagogies that inspire and motivate students to learn and scholarly research that enhances learning and teaching.

University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, Citation Award for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, 2007.

University of Western Sydney, Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Award 2006, Community Engagement: Highly Commended.

NSW Minister for Education and Training & The Australian College of Educators, Quality Teaching Award, 2005.

University of Western Sydney, Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award, 2005.

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Publications

Books

Robinson, K.H., & Davies, C. (Eds.) (in press, 2011) Queer and subjugated knowledges: Generating subversive imaginaries. Bentham Publishers.

Saltmarsh, S., Robinson, K.H., & Davies, C. (Eds.) (in press, 2011) Rethinking school violence: Context, gender and theory. London: Palgrave.

Robinson, K.H. & Jones-Diaz, C. (2006) Diversity and difference in early childhood: Issues for theory and practice, Open University Press.

Robinson, K.H., Irwin, J., & Ferfolja, T. (eds) (2002) From here to diversity: The social impact of lesbian and gay issues in education in Australia, New York: The Haworth Press.

Books In Progress

Saltmarsh, S., Robinson, K.H. & Davies, C. (Eds.) (Forthcoming). Reconceptualising School Violence: New Directions in Theory, Policy and Practice. London: Palgrave MacMillan.

Robinson, K. H. & Davies, C. (Eds.) (Under Review). Queer and Subjugated Knowledges: Generating subversive Imaginaries.

Robinson, K.H. (Work in progress). Difficult Knowledge: Childhood, Sexuality and the Every Day Politics of Moral Panic.

Book Chapters

Robinson, K.H. (in press, 2011) Negotiating everyday ‘sexual harassment’ at school: Issues of complexity, context and contradiction. In S. Saltmarsh, K.H Robinson & C. Davies (Eds.) Rethinking school violence: Context, gender and theory. London: Palgrave.  

Robinson, K.H. (in press, 2011) Childhood and sexuality: Challenging the construction of difficult knowledge in a queer time and place. In K.H Robinson & C. Davies (Eds.) Queer and subjugated knowledges: Generating subversive imaginaries, Bentham Publishers.

Robinson, K.H. & Davies, C.M. (2008). Boy Nerds, Girl Nerds: Constituting and negotiating ICCT and peer groups as gendered subjects in schooling. In J. Lynch (ed). Gender and Information Technology: Transitions from high school to university. Deakin, ACT: ACER and Common Ground Press.

Robinson, K.H. (2005). Childhood and sexuality: adult constructions and silenced children. In J. Mason & T. Fattore (Eds.) Children Taken Seriously in theory, policy and practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Robinson, K.H. (2005). Early Childhood Curriculum. In Sears, J. (Ed.) Youth, education & sexualities: An international encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Robinson, K.H. (2005). Sexual harassment. In Sears, J. (Ed.) Youth, education & sexualities: An international encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Robinson, K.H. & Ferfolja, T. (2002). A reflection of resistance: Discourses of heterosexism and homophobia in teacher training classrooms. In Robinson, K.H., Irwin, J. & Ferfolja, T. (Eds.) From Here to Diversity: The Social Impact of Lesbian and Gay Issues in Education in Australia. New York: The Haworth Press.

Jones Diaz, C. & Robinson, K.H. (2000). Diversity and difference in early childhood education in western Sydney. In Collins, J. & Poynting, S. (Eds.) The Other Sydney: Communities, identities and inequalities in Western Sydney. Altona, Victoria: Common Ground Press.

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

Robinson, K., & Davies, C. (2010) Hatching babies and stork deliveries: Risk and regulation in the construction of children's sexual knowledge. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 11(3), 249-262.

Robinson, K., & Davies, C. (2010) Tomboys and sissy girls: Exploring girls’ power, agency and female relationships in childhood through the memories of women. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 35(1), 24-31.

Robinson, K.H. (2008) In the name of ‘childhood innocence’: A discursive exploration of the moral panic associated with childhood and sexuality, Cultural Studies Review, 14 (2), 113-129.

Robinson, K. H. & Davies, C. (2008) Docile bodies and heteronormative moral subjects: Constructing the child and sexual knowledge in schools, Sexuality and Culture.

Robinson, K.H. & Davies, C. (2008) ‘She’s kickin’ ass, that’s what she’s doing’: deconstructing childhood 'innocence' in media representations, Australian Feminist Studies, 23 (57), 343-358.

Robinson, K.H. and Ferfolja, T. (2008) Playing it up, playing down, playing it safe: Queerying teacher education, Teaching and Teacher Education, 24 (4) 846-858.

Robinson, K. H. & Davies, C. (2007). Tom Boys and Sissy Girls: young girls’
negotiations of femininity and masculinity. International Journal of Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood, 5 (2) pp. 17-31.

Taylor, A., Blaise, M. & Robinson, K. (2007). Making trouble: A conversation about departing from the straight and narrow in Early Childhood. International Journal of Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood, 5 (2) pp. 32-46.

Robinson, K.H. (2005). Doing anti-homophobia and anti-heterosexism in early childhood education. Moving beyond the immobilising impacts of ‘risks’, ‘fears’ and ‘silences’. Can we afford not to? Contemporary Issues In Early Childhood Education, 6 (2), 175-188.

Robinson, K.H. (2005). ‘Queerying’ Gender: Heteronormativity in Early Childhood Education. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 30 (2), 19-28.

Robinson, K.H. (2005). Reinforcing hegemonic masculinities through sexual harassment: Issues of identity,Gender and Education, 17 (1), 19-38.

Robinson, K.H., Ferfolja, T. & Goldstein, T. (2004). Introduction. Anti-homophobia teacher education. Special edition. Anti-homophobia in teacher education. Teaching Education, 15 (1), 3-8.

Ferfolja, T. & Robinson, K.H. (2004). Why anti-homophobia education in teacher education? Teaching Education Journal, 15 (1), 9-25. 

Robinson, K.H. (2002). Making the invisible visible: Gay and lesbian issues in early childhood education. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 3 (3), 415-434.

Robinson, K.H. & Ferfolja, T. (2002). A reflection of resistance: Discourses of heterosexism and homophobia in teacher training classrooms. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 14, (2), 55-65.

Robinson, K.H. & Ferfolja, T. (2001). “What are we doing this for?” Dealing with Lesbian and Gay Issues in Teacher Education. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 22 (1), 121-133.

Robinson, K.H. (2000). “Great tits miss!” The sexual harassment of female teachers in secondary schools. Issues of gendered authority. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 21 (1), 75-90.

Robinson, K.H. & Jones Diaz, C. (1999). Doing theory with early childhood educators: Understanding difference and diversity in personal and professional contexts. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 24 (4), 33-41.

Robinson, K.H. (1992) Class-room discipline: Power, resistance and gender. A look at teacher perspectives. Gender and Education, 4 (3), 273-289.

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