Motherhood in the Music Education Academy

Kate Fitzpatrick-Harnish and Bridget Sweet assembled a diverse and resilient set of higher education professors who are also mothers. As a mother myself, it made me feel seen and heard. The juxtaposition of scholarly writing and compelling narratives will raise the consciousness of many scholars and educators who are teaching in higher education while also mothering children. This book is well written, sourced, and valuable in tone and substance. This is an area that deserves much more consideration and discussion as we are attempting to create more accessibility, equity, and belonging in higher education. This is the resource we have been waiting to have published. * Alice M. Hammel, Music Educator, Clinician, and Author of Teaching Music to Students with Differences and Disabilities: A Label-Free Approach (Oxford, 2024) * This compelling book brings relatable stories to life. The captivating narratives about the protagonists' experiences reinforce important ideas and offer fresh insights. Even as a longtime music teacher educator, advocate for gender equity, and mother, I found myself learning new ways to think about these critical issues. The contents of this book are inspiring, with a focus on the women's resilience, ability to identify the positives, creative problem-solving, and constructive solutions to the problems they encountered. This is a must-read for anyone committed to advancing the profession by becoming well-informed about the key issues music education faculty mothers face and addressing them in meaningful and thoughtful ways. * Wendy Sims, Curators' Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music Education, University of Missouri * In these pages, an empowering collection of voices calls out the unspoken norms that too often devalue motherhood and caring work in academia. Their diverse perspectives invited me to confront the structural barriers we uphold-intentionally or not-and reaffirm my commitment to dismantling them. I am deeply grateful for the clarity and courage revealed here, and I feel called to help reimagine a more just and compassionate academic culture. Although rooted in the field of music education, this collection will resonate with academics, administrators, and anyone committed to creating a workplace where mothers and other marginalized groups can genuinely thrive. * Carlos R. Abril, Professor of Music Education, Frost School of Music, University of Miami * This book is an invaluable resource given the theoretical and historical background provided on the topic of motherhood in the academy. At the same time, the narratives effectively amplify the challenges and rewards of being a mother and music education professor. Given the contributions from authors across the life span, the reader can return to the book across one's career and stage of parenting. Through the use of humor and honesty, this book helps the reader realize they are part of a larger mother-college professor community. At the same time, the recommendations for actionable structural changes are a wonderful resource for the continued work needed at the institutional level. * Margaret Berg, Professor of Music Education/Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, University of Colorado Boulder * With this book Bridget Sweet and Kate Fitzpatrick-Harnish have provided a framework that coheres the phenomenon of motherhood within the music education academy while, at the same time, highlights its infinitely faceted complexity. This powerful collection succeeds at both clarifying the universal and emphasizing the personal, all against a deep backdrop of loving care. These are vivid narratives, reflections, observations, and calls for action-profoundly enlightening for those in higher education, like me, who have not experienced motherhood and, I hope, profoundly encouraging and empowering for those who have, who are, and who will. * Steven Morrison, Professor of Music, Northwestern University *