Dr. Maryann Valiulis
Fellow Emeritus, Fellows Emeritii

Projects

• Title
  • The Diversity of Women and Multiple Discrimination
• Summary
  • This project relates to the Centre for Gender and Women's Studies' interest in issues of equality and difference. The project is to produce an introductory booklet on issues of multiple discrimination for ten groups of women chosen by the Equality Authority: . Transsexual Women . Women Parenting Alone . Women Carers . Women Travellers . Women with Disabilities . Lesbian and Bisexual Women . Women from Different Religious Backgrounds . Black and Ethnic Minority Women . Young Women . Older Women The intersection of gender discrimination with other forms of prejudice is the key focus: how do lesbian and bisexual women experience discrimination both as women and members of a minority? How does the impact of ageist bias and gender discrimination manifest itself in the lives of older women? How does racism collide with gender stereotyping for Black and ethnic minority women? These are some of the issues explored in the booklet. It is expected that research will be completed in April 2007. We produced an interim report in December 2006 and a draft final report has been submitted. The project is part of Ireland's contribution to the European Year of Equal Opportunities and will be launched later in 2007.
• Funding Agency
  • The Equality Authority
• Date From
  • December 2006
• Date To
  • April 2007

• Title
  • An Introduction to Gender Equality Issues in the Marketing and Design of Goods for Children
• Summary
  • The project was based on a review of marketing and advertising of children's toys in Ireland in relation to gender equality issues. The research has been published in November 2007. The publication highlights a pervasive and thorough gender stereotyping in the marketing and design of goods to children. Gender stereotyping is found to be deeply embedded at all levels of the marketing process. It is identified in:- · the language used. The text, for example, that accompanies the girl's products describes the product and does not engage with the children shown. The text directed at boys is different in tone and intent-actively engaging the children and affirming the active potential of the boys. · the symbols used. The use of blue and pink to communicate gender appropriateness of toys is instantly recognisable in most toy catalogues, for example. : the production techniques used. Examples given include the predominance of male voice-overs and the use of different camera angles for girls and boys. The tilt up angle is most common in advertisements depicting boys and the tilt down angle in those depicting girls. · the use and portrayal of space in both visual and print advertising. Boys are depicted using products outdoors whereas girls were predominantly shown playing indoors. Separate sections are reserved in shops for girls and boys in accordance with the supposed gender appropriateness of the toys being sold. The overall impact identified is a gender stereotyping where ­ boys are portrayed as independent, active and aggressive ­ girls are portrayed as dependent, passive and nurturing.
• Funding Agency
  • The Equality Authority
• Date From
  • 2006
• Date To
  • 2007

• Title
  • Research into Measures to Facilitate Promotion of Women in Senior Grades of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
• Summary
  • This research project entails a policy and literature review, the hosting of focus groups and a department wide survey on the issue of the promotion of women to senior grades
• Funding Agency
  • Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
• Date From
  • October 2005
• Date To
  • March 2006

• Title
  • Interdisciplinary Research on Prostitution in Ireland
• Summary
  • This project is looking at the literature on prostitution and trafficking in Ireland and internationally, as well as a review of Ireland's legal standards and human rights commitments to those engaged in prostitution. The project also involves a review of services for those engaged in prostitution.
• Funding Agency
  • Irish Human Rights Commission
• Date From
  • Jan 2006
• Date To
  • July 2006

• Title
  • Literature Review on Work-Life Balance, Work Place Culture and Maternity/Childcare Issues
• Summary
  • The Crisis Pregnancy Agency (www.crisispregnancy.ie) has commissioned the Centre for Gender and Women's Studies to undertake a literature review of issues related to work life balance, workplace culture and maternity/childcare issues. Jennifer Redmond is the principal researcher, and the project is directed by Dr. Maryann Valiulis and Dr. Eileen Drew. The aim of the project is to produce a comprehensive and internationally comparative review of literature relating to work life balance, workplace culture and maternity/childcare issues. It will outline and examine the situation in Ireland for workers striving for work life balance, and for working parents negotiating employment and domestic responsibilities. In particular, it will highlight issues for those facing crisis pregnancy, in order to determine the impact that current workplace policies and environments has on their lives and decision-making capacities.
• Funding Agency
  • Crisis Pregnancy Agency
• Date From
  • Jan 2005
• Date To
  • June 2005

• Title
  • The Art of Decision Project
• Summary
  • The Art of Decision project is a partnership project between the Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, and the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Trinity College. The project addresses the unequal representation of women in political decision-making in Ireland and how new media and technology can be used in a more innovative way, in the form of a Multimedia Responsive Environment, to encourage women's participation. The project combines a gender perspective with cutting edge technology and is currently producing an interactive space to represent research data through artistic media. The project aims to lever increased political involvement of women using multimedia and technology as a new language and space that will provide an alternative creative, innovative and interactive experience. The space will aim to excite people and get them to react by providing awareness of their capacity, capability, need for involvement and impact. The interactive pieces in the space will provide information, network groups and ideas and provide an experience that may challenge current thought and societal norms that are unconscious to people. This project is innovative in its approach to the design of the space. There will be a number of workshops in the community exploring the main ideas and themes of gender balance in decision-making. The participating groups will have an opportunity to get involved in the creative side of the project and contribute to the images, video footage, text or audio sections of the Multimedia Responsive Environment. Research Team: Dr. Maryann Valiulis, Dr. Linda Doyle, Fionnuala Conway, Jane Williams
• Funding Agency
  • Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
• Date From
  • 2003
• Date To
  • 2005

• Title
  • The Gender History Project
• Summary
  • The Gender History Project is a collaborative initiative between the Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, Trinity College, and the Education Department, University College Dublin. Commissioned by the Gender Equality Unit (GEU) in the Department of Education and Science, the project's aim is to examine the extent to which a gender perspective has been and continues to be present in both the delivery and assessment of the Junior Cycle history curriculum. This involved a literature review of the current context of gender balance in teaching, which highlighted issues for continuous professional development, national survey of post-primary History teachers and Higher Diploma in Education students in University College Dublin (UCD), as well as documentary analysis of textbooks and examination papers 1992-2002. The research team has presented to the Department of Education and Science, and has disseminated findings of the project at national and international conferences, including the History Teachers Association of Ireland Conferences (2003 and 2004) and the European Educational Research Association (2004). A copy of the Summary Report will be sent to every post-primary school in the country. The team will also be presenting at more conferences in 2005, including the Educational Studies Association of Ireland conference (UCC) and the 5th Annual Gender and Education Association Conference ( Cardiff University ). Research Team: Dr. Maryann Valiulis, Dr. Deirdre Raftery, Dr. Judith Harford, Jennifer Redmond, Catherine Cregan
• Funding Agency
  • Department of Education and Science
• Date From
  • Jan 2003
• Date To
  • December 2004

• Title
  • Springboard for Women in Business Initiative
• Summary
  • The objectives of the project were to identify women's motivations for becoming entrepreneurs and the barriers they encountered in setting-up and running a business. The study examined the role of support agencies in order to improve the services provided to female entrepreneurs and to identify a model of best practice. Summary and final reports were prepared. Research Team: Dr.Maryann Valiulis, Dr.Eileen Drew, Anne-Laure Hambert
• Funding Agency
  • Wicklow Chamber of Commerce
• Date From
  • 2002
• Date To
  • 2004