Förskolans arbete med att förebygga mäns våld mot kvinnor: En kvalitativ studie om förskollärares beskrivningar av förskolans våldsförebyggande arbete utifrån en genusförändrande ansats

Abstract

This thesis focuses on how to prevent men’s violence against women by transforming gender norms in preschool. The aim of this study is to, from the perspective of preschool teachers, explore how five Swedish preschools work with violence prevention with a gender transformative perspective. The empirical material consists of interviews with seven preschool teachers in five different preschools, in different areas of Sweden. The preschool teachers had a variation of experience of specific work with violence prevention and/or gender transformation. Based on the empirical material, a thematical analysis was conducted. A gender transformative approach and the concepts of gender norms and hegemonic masculinity, originated from a poststructuralist feminist perspective, are used as a framework to understand and analyze the results. The results show that the preschool teachers use a wide definition of violence and relates largely to a preschool context when discussing which actions that could be defined as violence. Physical aggressions such as hitting and pushing, and psychological aggression such as the use of offensive and hurtful words and glances, are mentioned as examples of violence in a preschool setting. The need for an intention of physical aggression to be defined as violence is questioned, and there is a consensus that the actions rather are a consequence of a lack of tools to handle the situation differently than an intention to hurt. Gender norms that relate to hegemonic masculinity, with a focus on restrictive emotions and authority, are mentioned as problematic in relation to violence. The violence prevention work is largely connected to gender transformative work with a constant reconstruction of gender norms related to hegemonic masculinity, and a maintenance of positive gender norms, and has a focus on every child's right to be themself fully. Self-esteem, identity, emotional competence, integrity and collaboration with parents, are described as important parts of this work. The most important conclusion is that preschool teachers can play an important role in eliminating men’s violence against women by providing all children, regardless of gender, the opportunity to be themselves, learn how to regulate their emotions and respect others personal integrity. This can be done in multiple ways.