Biography

Aoife Neary (BSc, MA, PhD) is Lecturer in the School of Education, University College Cork (UCC). She joined the School of Education, UCC in 2024, following ten years in the School of Education, University of Limerick, including as Senior Lecturer in Sociology of Education and Assistant Dean Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Prior to this, she was a post-primary school teacher of Physical Education and English for eight years. Her research explores the politics of gender and sexuality in schools and society and, more broadly, social justice in teacher education and schooling. She has held several Irish Research Council (IRC) awards (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2022) and she reached interview stage of a European Research Council Starting Grant in 2021. Her most recent research, ‘Belong To Primary: New Foundations for LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Primary Schools’, was conducted in partnership with Belong To LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland, funded by the IRC. She has been involved in national curriculum development through her membership of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) SPHE/RSE Development groups at junior cycle and senior cycle level. Since her first academic appointment in 2014, she has been leading and teaching teacher education modules that explore equality and diversity from a sociological perspective.

Research Interests

LGBTQ+ inclusivity in Education; gender; sexuality; queer theory; cis-heteronormativity; affect theory; politics of emotion; social justice; teacher education. 

Research Grants

  Project Funding
Body 		Start Date End Date Award
Forging Novel Conceptual Frontiers with Children on LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Education Enterprise Irl 04-SEP-24 03-SEP-26 €11,922.00

Books

  Year Publication
(2017) LGBT-Q Teachers, Civil Partnership and Same-Sex Marriage: The Ambivalences ofLegitimacy.
Neary, A. (2017) LGBT-Q Teachers, Civil Partnership and Same-Sex Marriage: The Ambivalences ofLegitimacy. New York: Routledge. [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2023) 'Trans Children in Primary Schools: Thinking Queerly About Happiness and Time'
Neary, A. (2023) 'Trans Children in Primary Schools: Thinking Queerly About Happiness and Time' In: Queer Studies in Education. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Details]
(2022) 'LGBTQI+ teachers in Ireland: Dilemmas of visibility, age-appropriateness and religion across a period of rapid legislative change'
Neary, A. (2022) 'LGBTQI+ teachers in Ireland: Dilemmas of visibility, age-appropriateness and religion across a period of rapid legislative change' In: Diversifying the Teaching Profession. London: Routledge. [Details]
(2020) 'Lesbian, gay and bisexual teachers’ ambivalent relations with parents and students while entering into a civil partnership'
Neary, A. (2020) 'Lesbian, gay and bisexual teachers’ ambivalent relations with parents and students while entering into a civil partnership' In: Queer Teaching-Teaching Queer. London: Routledge. [Details]
(2020) 'New trans* visibilities: Working the limits and possibilities of gender at school'
Neary, A. (2020) 'New trans* visibilities: Working the limits and possibilities of gender at school' In: Trans Youth in Education. London: Routledge. [Details]
(2018) 'Robot Babies, Young People, and Pregnancy Prevention: Alternative Imaginings of Sexual Futures'
Rasmussen, ML. & Neary, A. (2018) 'Robot Babies, Young People, and Pregnancy Prevention: Alternative Imaginings of Sexual Futures' In: The Cambridge Handbook of Sexual Development: Childhood and Adolescence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Details]
(2014) 'Teachers and civil partnership:(Re) producing legitimate subjectivities in the straight spaces of schools'
Neary, A. (2014) 'Teachers and civil partnership:(Re) producing legitimate subjectivities in the straight spaces of schools' In: Queer Teachers, Identity and Performativity. UK: Palgrave Macmillan. [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2024) 'Intersections of age and agency as trans and gender diverse children navigate primary school: listening to children in (re)considering the potential of sexuality education'
Neary. A. (2024) 'Intersections of age and agency as trans and gender diverse children navigate primary school: listening to children in (re)considering the potential of sexuality education'. Sex Education Journal, 24 (4):617-631 [Details]
(2024) 'Beyond inclusion: trans and gender diverse young people’s experiences of PE and school sport'
Neary, A. & McBride, R-S. (2024) 'Beyond inclusion: trans and gender diverse young people’s experiences of PE and school sport'. Sport Education and Society, 29 (5) [Details]
(2023) 'Up Schitt’s Creek? Comedy as a Slantwise Pedagogical Encounter with Queerness'
Henry, S., Bryan, A & Neary, A. (2023) 'Up Schitt’s Creek? Comedy as a Slantwise Pedagogical Encounter with Queerness'. Teachers College Record, :81-101 [Details]
(2023) 'Preparing to research LGBTQI+ lives with children: an imaginary conversation with Kathleen Quinlivan about failure, art and hope'
Neary. A. (2023) 'Preparing to research LGBTQI+ lives with children: an imaginary conversation with Kathleen Quinlivan about failure, art and hope'. Sex Education Journal, 23 (3):345-352 [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2023) '‘Laughing ourselves out of the closet’: comedy as a queer pedagogical form'
Henry, S., Bryan, A & Neary, A. (2023) '‘Laughing ourselves out of the closet’: comedy as a queer pedagogical form'. Ethics and Education, 125 (10):151-166 [Details]
(2021) 'Complicating constructions: Middle-class parents of transgender and gender-diverse children'
Neary, A. (2021) 'Complicating constructions: Middle-class parents of transgender and gender-diverse children'. Journal Of Family Studies, 27 (4):506-522 [Details]
(2021) 'Trans and gender diverse youth resisting cisnormativity in school'
McBride, R-S. & Neary, A. (2021) 'Trans and gender diverse youth resisting cisnormativity in school'. Gender and Education, 33 (8):1090-1107 [Details]
(2021) 'Trans children and the necessity to complicate gender in primary schools'
Neary, A. (2021) 'Trans children and the necessity to complicate gender in primary schools'. Gender and Education, 33 (8):1073-1089 [Details]
(2020) 'LGB teachers and the (Com) Promised conditions of legislative change'
Neary, A. (2020) 'LGB teachers and the (Com) Promised conditions of legislative change'. Teaching Education, 31 (1):17-31 [Details]
(2020) 'LGB teachers and the (Com) Promised conditions of legislative change'
Neary, A. (2020) 'LGB teachers and the (Com) Promised conditions of legislative change'. Teaching Education, 31 (1):17-31 [Details]
(2020) 'Marriage equality time: entanglements of sexual progress and childhood innocence in Irish primary schools'
Neary, A. & Rasmussen, ML. (2020) 'Marriage equality time: entanglements of sexual progress and childhood innocence in Irish primary schools'. Sexualities, 23 (5-6):898-916 [Details]
(2020) 'Critical imaginaries of empathy in teaching and learning about diversity in teacher education'
Neary, A. (2020) 'Critical imaginaries of empathy in teaching and learning about diversity in teacher education'. Teaching Education, 31 (4):444-458 [Details]
(2018) 'Lesbian, gay and bisexual teachers’ negotiations of civil partnership and schools: Ambivalent attachments to religion and secularism'
Neary, A., Gray, B. &O'Sullivan, M. (2018) 'Lesbian, gay and bisexual teachers’ negotiations of civil partnership and schools: Ambivalent attachments to religion and secularism'. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 39 (3):434-447 [Details]
(2018) 'New trans* visibilities: Working the limits and possibilities of gender at school'
Neary, A. (2018) 'New trans* visibilities: Working the limits and possibilities of gender at school'. Sex Education Journal, 18 (4):435-448 [Details]
(2016) 'Civil partnership and marriage: LGBT-Q political pragmatism and the normalization imperative'
Neary, A. (2016) 'Civil partnership and marriage: LGBT-Q political pragmatism and the normalization imperative'. Sexualities, 19 (7):757-779 [Details]
(2016) 'A queer politics of emotion: Reimagining sexualities and schooling'
Neary, A., Gray, B. & O'Sullivan, M. (2016) 'A queer politics of emotion: Reimagining sexualities and schooling'. Gender and Education, 28 (2):250-265 [Details]
(2013) 'Lesbian and gay teachers’ experiences of ‘coming out’in Irish schools'
Neary, A. (2013) 'Lesbian and gay teachers’ experiences of ‘coming out’in Irish schools'. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 34 (4):583-602 [Details]

Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2024) Exploring the introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A longitudinal study. Interim report No. 3 (2024).
Oliver McGarr, John O'Reilly, Orla Mc Cormack, Raymond Lynch, Ailbhe Dempsey, Jason Power, Jennifer Mc Mahon, Rachel Lenihan, Antonio Calderón, Ciarán Ó Gallchóir, Keelin Leahy, Jennifer Hennessy, Niamh O'Meara, Aoife Neary, Ann Mac Phail, Christine Ní Chathasaigh, Sarah Ní Dhuinnín, Merrilyn Goos (2024) Exploring the introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A longitudinal study. Interim report No. 3 (2024). University of Limerick, Limerick. [Details]
(2024) Exploring the introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A longitudinal study. Interim report No. 3 (2024).
Oliver McGarr, John O'Reilly, Orla Mc Cormack, Raymond Lynch, Ailbhe Dempsey, Jason Power, Jennifer Mc Mahon, Rachel Lenihan, Antonio Calderón, Ciarán Ó Gallchóir, Keelin Leahy, Jennifer Hennessy, Niamh O'Meara, Aoife Neary, Ann Mac Phail, Christine Ní Chathasaigh, Sarah Ní Dhuinnín, Merrilyn Goos (2024) Exploring the introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A longitudinal study. Interim report No. 3 (2024). University of Limerick, Limerick. [Details]
(2024) Belong To Primary: New Foundations for LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Primary Schools.
Neary, A. & Power, J. (2024) Belong To Primary: New Foundations for LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Primary Schools. University of Limerick & Belong To, Limerick. [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2024) Belong To Primary: Key Survey Findings.
Neary, A. & Power, J. (2024) Belong To Primary: Key Survey Findings. University of Limerick & Belong To, Limerick. [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2023) Exploring the Introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A Longitudinal Study. Interim Report 2.
Oliver McGarr, Orla McCormack, John O’Reilly, Raymond Lynch, Jason Power, Jennifer Hennessy, N O’Meara, A Neary, K Leahy, A Calderón, A MacPhail, CÓ Gallchóir, J McMahon, R Lenihan, C Ní Chathasaigh, M Goos (2023) Exploring the Introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A Longitudinal Study. Interim Report 2. University of Limerick, Limerick. [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2022) Exploring the Introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A Longitudinal Study. Introductory Report.
Oliver McGarr, Orla Mc Cormack, John O'Reilly, Raymond Lynch, Jason Power, Ciarán Ó Gallchóir, Jennifer Mc Mahon, Jennifer Hennessy, Keelin Leahy, Niamh O'Meara, Antonio Calderón, Ann Mac Phail, Aoife Neary, Christine Ni Chatasaigh, Helen Costello, Merrilyn Goos (2022) Exploring the Introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A Longitudinal Study. Introductory Report. University of Limerick, Limerick. [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2020) The post-primary school experiences of transgender and gender diverse youth in Ireland.
Ruari-Santiago McBride, Aoife Neary, Breda Gray, Vanessa Lacey (2020) The post-primary school experiences of transgender and gender diverse youth in Ireland. University of Limerick and TENI, Limerick. [Details]
(2018) Exploring gender identity and gender norms in primary schools: The perspectives of educators and parents of transgender and gender variant children.
Neary, A. & Cross, C. (2018) Exploring gender identity and gender norms in primary schools: The perspectives of educators and parents of transgender and gender variant children. University of Limerick and TENI, Limerick. [Details]
(2017) Exploring homophobia and transphobia in primary schools in Ireland.
Neary, A., Irwin-Gowran, S & McEvoy, E. (2017) Exploring homophobia and transphobia in primary schools in Ireland. University of Limerick and GLEN, Limerick. [Details]
(2014) Unravelling Section 37 (1) and 'Ethos': The Experiences of LGBTQ Teachers in Ireland.
Neary, A. (2014) Unravelling Section 37 (1) and 'Ethos': The Experiences of LGBTQ Teachers in Ireland. University of Limerick, Limerick. [Details]
(2013) New Foundations: School 'Ethos' and LGBT Sexualities Summary Report.
Neary, A. (2013) New Foundations: School 'Ethos' and LGBT Sexualities Summary Report. University of Limerick, Limerick. [Details]

Articles

  Year Publication
(2022) Sexual and intimate citizenship in a Time of Pandemic.
Dave Ashby, Niharika Banerjea, Pascale Baker, Dhiren Borisa, Kath Browne, Cesare di Feliciantonio, Zalfa Feghali, Dylan Kerrigan, Mary McAuliffe, Aoife Neary, Gavin Brown (2022) Sexual and intimate citizenship in a Time of Pandemic. Articles [Details]
(2022) The Epistemologies of ‘Lockdown’: closets, vulnerability, and citizenship.
Dave Ashby, Niharika Banerjea, Pascale Baker, Dhiren Borisa, Kath Browne, Cesare di Feliciantonio, Zalfa Feghali, Dylan Kerrigan, Mary McAuliffe, Aoife Neary, Gavin Brown (2022) The Epistemologies of ‘Lockdown’: closets, vulnerability, and citizenship. Articles [Details]
(2019) Gender, sexuality, and bullying special issue editorial.
Ging, D. and Neary, A. (2019) Gender, sexuality, and bullying special issue editorial. Articles [Details]
(2012) Same-sex Relationship Recognition and the Weight of Heteronormative Expectation.
Neary, A. (2012) Same-sex Relationship Recognition and the Weight of Heteronormative Expectation. Articles [Details]

Teaching Interests

Sociology of Education
Socio-cultural perspectives on equity, diversity and inclusivity in Education and Teacher Education.