Motherhood in the Music Education Academy

Abstract Issues related to motherhood profoundly and inequitably affect the experiences of women within the academy, relating to disproportionate promotion and tenure outcomes, a documented wage gap, greater conflicts between work and home responsibilities, and experiences of discrimination. The field of music education is one in which caring is innately embedded, which, combined with field-specific musically related gender stereotypes and roles, makes it an especially intriguing setting for an examination of motherhood within the academy. Within this edited book, we include both scholarly and narrative perspectives on motherhood in the music education academy from a diverse group of authors in the field. The chapters delve into a variety of topics, including theoretical perspectives on the intersections between motherhood and the academy, ways in which mothers in music education experience the promotion and tenure system, intersectional experiences of motherhood, motherhood at various stages of academic work in the field, and suggestions for actionable change within the academy. Our aim is to amplify the voices of mothers in the profession, to provide a scholarly context for these experiences, to expand notions of motherhood with our stories, and to embrace and celebrate the often invisible caring work that women do in the music education academy. Our hope is that this volume will enhance the visibility of mothers in music education while provoking action that supports productive and positive change.