I think I'm going to live tweet this Narratives of Motherhood panel rather than take notes. My thoughts in brackets. #ss22
Matsumoto "Why not take your kids to your fieldwork" #ss22 points out how students ask themselves if they can be happy in academe when they wonder if they can balance it with their desires for family.
Being a mother can be advantageous in collecting sociolx data. But, Matsumoto points out that in her remote field site of Palau, limited medical facilities pose a challenge for bringing children.
Despite child's difficulty adjusting to the environs and local illnesses (and some legit scary experiences!) by age 6 he was acclimated and Matsumoto put him in school. Having a child in school at the field site created new social networks in the community. #ss22
Change in identity from "Japanese researcher" to "[child]'s mom." #SS22
In addition, there were many benefits to the son (exposure to culture, language, and an understanding of academic work). As a mother, this is a pleasing thing to see. #ss22
[Its good to see a number of men in this session. Wondering about which women are intentionally childless...we need to do these sessions too.] #ss22
Higgins, University of Hawai'i on the role of role models. #ss22.
Many women academics have a parent with a PhD. If you don't, it is hard to find those mentors. #Ss22
Higgins points out that there was no conversation about managing family obligations in academe among her childless mentors. #SS22
Upon arriving at her TT job, there were few role models, and few people talking about how to do this work with family (conferences) etc. #ss22
Higgins had no maternity leave at her institution, but only unpaid family leave (FMLA). Happened to be on sabbatical. Yay! 🙃[I bet that was a super productive sabbatical, too.] But now passing on all the ins and outs of how to combine the various leaves to jr faculty. #ss22
Also, Higgins points out he importance of recognizing the positionality of caretaker--women faculty get asked to do the emotional labor of "having the big tissue box" for our students. Need to help male colleagues be aware, share the load. #ss22
Gonçalves "What are you doing here, I thought you had a kid now?" Had a child at 35, took a 12 month leave. You are stigmatized if you don't want kids. If you can't have them. If you have only one. If you have one and work. If you have one and don't work. #ss22
"I was worried that I would like being a mother more than my work. And that I would like my research more than my kid." #Ss22
Gonçalves now splits time between Norway (work) and Austria (husband and daughter). Perceived as a problem by many. Especially from women. #ss22
[switched to check my email quickly. Was greeted by an announcement of the birth of the daughter of a friend who was just granted tenure. Here she goes...] #SS22 #academicmama
Amina Peck, Univ of Western Cape (being read by Gonçalves)
"I am pumping as I write this, with a sign 'pumping in progress' on my door so as to direct traffic." -Peck #ss22
Peck calls for discussion of adjusted view of output for #academicmamas #ss22
Narrative from Linnea Hannell, Stockholm Univ. #ss22
Colleague asked Hannell "what other hobbies do you have besides parenthood." 👿
Hannell points out that it is important to center second wave feminist thought that the personal is political--subsidies and structure in Sweden which supports parents is a direct result of these kinds of agitation.#ss22
Hannell ends with a reflection on the maternal body--"this body I often refer to as mine...with which I attend job interviews and also nurse my 11 week old son." #SS22
Lanza googled "women and careers" and finds images of juggling, and women holding signs "What's holding you back?"
Lanza: 1 in 4 American women go back within 2 weeks of birth because they cannot afford to go without pay longer. #SS22
Women who can take leave often don't because they will be perceived as less dedicated to their careers. #ss22
In Norway, parents can choose between 49 weeks at 100% or 59 at 80%. Importantly, taking leave is socially accepted. #SS22
David Britain called MultiLing a "frauenpowerhaus" because of its family-friendliness #SS22
