Dr Camilla Fitzsimons
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Head of Department
Associate Professor
Maynooth University School of Education
1st
115
(01) 708 3951
Biography
Hello, my name is Camilla. I'm an Associate Professor and the current Head of Department in the Department of Adult and Community Education. I've been working in Adult Education since the 1990s. I have a particular interest in education within social movements and community spaces.
I used to be a nurse but left the wards behind in the 1990s to set up a women's community education group in North Dublin. I stayed in community education for around 15 years (aside from taking some time out to care for my children when they were young). My PhD, and first book, Community Education and Neoliberalism (2017), the largest national study of community education in Ireland, focused on the co-option of much consciousness-raising education by neoliberal forces. In part because of this co-option much critical community education now happens in non-funded spaces including housing actions, reproductive rights activism and in trade union spaces. I continue to work with feminist-led civil society spaces that seek to advance equal rights for people of all genders. In these spaces, I have a particular interest in the role of critical feminist pedagogy. I have led out a number of education initiatives and have a strong record in collaborative, engaged, action research projects across feminist-groups, community education, and other spaces where equality and social justice agendas need to be advanced. With the support of hundreds of activists, I did significant research on the Irish Repeal Movement which has been published in the book Repealed: Ireland's Unfinished Fight for Reproductive Rights (2021). In 2022, Repealed was awarded the James S Donnelly Sr book award for contribution to History and Social Science by the American Conference for Irish Studies. In recent years, I have collaborated on anti-racism work within adult and community education (mostly focusing on my own whiteness). I have also looked inwards at the precarious nature of much work within Adult, Further and Community Education. I work across our certificate, higher diploma, masters and doctoral programmes. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance in any way. You can also find out more about my work at my website www.camillafitzsimons.com
Research Interests
Consciousness-raising Education.
Feminism, Gender Equality and Women's Rights.
Critical Pedagogy.
Groupwork and Facilitation.
The impact of Neoliberalism on our world.
Another world is possible - Education can play a part in making that a reality.
I am currently working on an extensive research project that seeks to rethink feminism in a way that argues for a radical, inclusive, anti-neoliberal approach to activism.
Book
Year | Publication | |
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2021 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2021) Repealed: Ireland's Unfinished Fight for Reproductive Rights. London: Pluto Press. | |
2017 | Fitzsimons C. (2017) Community education and neoliberalism: Philosophies, practices and policies in Ireland. Switzerland: Palgrave/MacMillan. [Link] [DOI] | |
2024 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2024) Rethinking Feminism in Ireland. London: Bloomsbury Press. |
Book Chapter
Peer Reviewed Journal
Year | Publication | |
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2023 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2023) 'Towards an Inclusive, Critical Feminist Pedagogy'. Concept: the journal of contemporary community education practice theory, 14 (1):1-10. [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text] | |
2023 | Fitzsimons, C.; Nwanze, L. (2023) 'Can Critical Education Help Address Racial Discrimination in Irish Maternity Settings?'. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 20 . [Link] [Full-Text] | |
2022 | Fitzsimons, Camilla (2022) 'Critical Education in the Irish Repeal Movement'. Studies in the Education of Adults, Special Edition 2022 . [DOI] [Full-Text] | |
2022 | Fitzsimons C.; Henry S.; O’Neill J. (2022) 'Precarity and the pandemic: an inquiry into the impact of Covid19 on the working lives of non-permanent educators in post-compulsory education in Ireland'. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 27 (4):622-642. [DOI] [Full-Text] | |
2022 | Fitzsimons, Camilla and Nwanze, Lilian (2022) 'Towards, critical, engaged, antiracist learning environments'. The Adult Learner, . [Link] | |
2020 | O’Neill J.; Fitzsimons C. (2020) 'Precarious professionality: graduate outcomes and experiences from an Initial Teacher (Further) Education programme in Ireland'. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 25 (1):1-22. [DOI] [Full-Text] | |
2019 | Magrath C.J.; Fitzsimons C. (2019) 'Funding community education in Ireland: Making the case for a needs-based approach'. Journal of Social Science Education, 18 (4):38-50. [DOI] [Full-Text] | |
2019 | Fitzsimons C. (2019) 'Working as a white adult educator, using our own life stories to explore asymmetries of power and privilege'. Studies in the Education of Adults, . [DOI] [Full-Text] | |
2017 | Fitzsmons, C. (2017) 'Rhetoric and reality: The Irish experience of Quality Assurance'. The Adult Learner, . [Full-Text] | |
2017 | Fitzsimons, C. (2017) 'Adult education responses to the ‘othering’ of Muslim identity: Perspectives from Ireland'. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 23 (2):263-280. [DOI] [Full-Text] | |
2013 | Fitzsimons, C. and Dorman, P. (2013) 'Swimming in the Swamp, inquiry into accreditation, community development, and social change'. The Adult Learner, . [Full-Text] | |
2012 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2012) 'Social Change and Community Education – Where are we now?’'. The Irish Review of Community Economic Development Law and Policy, Volume 1 (4) . [Full-Text] | |
2010 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2010) 'Professionalism in Community Work and its implications for Radical Community Education’'. The Adult Learner, :53-71. [Full-Text] |
Other Journal
Year | Publication | |
---|---|---|
2024 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2024) 'The two Souls of Feminism' Rebel News, . [Link] | |
2022 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2022) 'Roe V. Wade, How did we get here? What should we do?' Irish Marxism Review, 11 (34) . [Link] | |
2021 | Fitzsimons, Camilla (2021) 'Abortion Access and Reproductive Rights' Irish Marxist Review, (30) :21-27. | |
2018 | HE4u2 consortium (in alphabetical order): José Pedro AMORIM, Amandine BERNAL, Sofia CASTANHEIRA PAIS, Françoise DE VIRON, Josephine FINN, Camilla FITZSIMONS, Bernie GRUMMELL, Timo HALTTUNEN, Beate HÖRR, Amelia LOPES, Kia LUNDQVIST, Isabel MENEZES, Tiago NEVES, Agnes RASCHAUER, Katharina RESCH, Carme ROYO, Alfredo SOEIRO, Iris THIMM, Francesca URAS, Leena VANHAKYLA, Georgios ZARIFIS (2018) 'Tools to promote Cultural Diversity in Higher Education – The HE4u2 project' eucen Studies: eJournal of University Lifelong Learning, 2 (1) . [Link] [Full-Text] |
Conference Publication
Year | Publication | |
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2024 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2024) University Lifelong Learning Leading Positive Change in Challenging Times . In: EUCEN eds. Reframing feminism – the role of community education University College Cork, | |
2021 | Fitzsimons, Camilla and Lilian Nwanze (2021) Diversity . In: Eva Baloch-Kaloianov eds. Let's talk about structural exclusion and racism in Adult Education [Link] |
Conference Contribution
Published Report
Year | Publication | |
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2022 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2022) Irish healthcare workers experiences of anti-abortion protesters and the case for safe access zones. Maynooth University (eprints), . [Link] | |
2021 | Fitzsimons, C., Henry, S. & O'Neill, J. (2021) Precarity and the Pandemican inquiry into the impact of Covid19 on the working lives of non-permanent educators in, and across, higher and further education in Ireland:. eprints Maynooth University, . [Link] [Full-Text] | |
2021 | Fitzsimons, C., Hassan, B., Nwanze, L., Obasi, P. (2021) Researching the Needs of Muslim Women in Irish Maternity Settings: A mother is born too. Amal Women's Association, . [Link] | |
2018 | O'Neill, J. and Fitzsimons, C. (2018) Precarious professionality: A review of the experiences and employment status of graduates of the Higher Diploma in Further Education at Maynooth University’s Department of Adult and Community Education (2013-2017). Executive Briefing. Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland, . [Full-Text] | |
2017 | Magrath, C and Fitzsimons, C (2017) Review of Maynooth University's Return to Learning Certificate 1992-2016. Maynooth University, . [Link] | |
2017 | Fitzsimons, C. & O'Neill, J. (2017) The Foundation Certificates: a summary review of Maynooth University’s Foundation Certificate Programme from 2002-2014. Maynooth Access Programme, . | |
2017 | Fitzsimons, C., Grummell, B. and Noone, M. (2017) HE4u2 survey findings – Integrating cultural diversity in higher education. EUCEN, . [Full-Text] | |
2010 | Camilla Fitzsimons and Sarah Connors (2010) Supporting the Recreational Needs of Young Travellers in Bray and Surrounding Areas. Bray Traveller Action Group, . | |
2008 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2008) Assessing the need for a Network of Educators in Ballymun and Surrounding Areas. Ballymun Partnership, . |
Audiovisual material
Year | Publication | |
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2022 | Camilla Fitzsimons and Eamonn McCann (2022) War and an Irish Town with Eamonn McCann and Camilla Fitzsimons. YouTube: [Audiovisual material] [Link] |
Blog
Year | Publication | |
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2024 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2024) Voting female isn't voting feminism. [Blog] [Link] | |
2023 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2023) Stop the Genocide in Gaza - Blog#5. [Blog] [Link] https://www.camillafitzsimons.com/post/stop-the-genocide-in-gaza | |
2022 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2022) 'Nun' of your business #MakeNHMOurs'. Online: [Blog] [Link] | |
2022 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2022) Stick or Twist? The Love Island Dilemma. Online: [Blog] [Link] | |
2022 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2022) Five reasons why I am not staying quiet about trans rights. online: [Blog] [Link] | |
2021 | camilla fitzsimons (2021) The Fight for Repeal, An Activist's Story. [Blog] [Link] | |
2021 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2021) Community Education: So Much More than a Course. Online: [Blog] [Link] | |
2021 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2021) Book Launch: Dr Camilla Fitzsimons – Repealed: Ireland’s Unfinished Fight for Reproductive Rights. [Blog] [Link] |
Book Review
Year | Publication | |
---|---|---|
2020 | Fitzsimons, C (2020) Book review Community Work and Adult Education in Staveley. [Book Review] | |
2019 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2019) Mapping out the research field of adult education and learning. UK: [Book Review] [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text] |
Editorial
Year | Publication | |
---|---|---|
2023 | Camilla Fitzsimons; Sean Henry; Jerry O'Neill; Clare Tebbutt (2023) Editorial Introduction - Gender and Adult Education. [Editorial] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02660830.2023.2277965 | |
2019 | Caramelo J.; Fitzsimons C.; Menezes I. (2019) Participation in non-formal education and community education implications for civic and political capital. [Editorial] [DOI] |
Policy Contribution
Podcast
Year | Publication | |
---|---|---|
2023 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2023) International Journalists Network IJNet podcast: Reporting on Reproductive Rights Part 3: Covering Reproductive Rights in Ireland. [Podcast] [Link] | |
2023 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2023) Open University - Sex Research and Resistance. [Podcast] [Link] | |
2022 | Camilla Fitzsimons; Sinead Kennedy (2022) New Books Network - Repealed, Ireland's Unfinished Fight for Reproductive Rights. [Podcast] [Link] | |
2021 | Camilla Fitzsimons, Sinead Kennedy and Ruth Coppinger (2021) Radicals in Conversation: Repealed, Ireland's Unfinished Fight for Reproductive Rights. [Podcast] | |
2021 | Camilla Fitzsimons and Sinead Kennedy (2021) The Tortoise Shack - Repealed. [Podcast] [Link] | |
2020 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2020) Education Outside the System (Part 1) : Dr. Camilla Fitzsimons on Community Education. [Podcast] [Link] |
Report
Curriculum design / Support materials
Year | Publication | |
---|---|---|
2022 | Camilla Fitzsimons (2022) Reproduction and Rights a curriculum for Activists. [Curriculum design / Support materials] | |
2017 | Fitzsimons, C, Grummell, B. and Finn, J. (2017) Creating Intercultural Environments: Guidelines for Staff within Higher Education Institutions. [Curriculum design / Support materials] [Link] | |
2015 | Crowley, S., Fitzsimons, C. and O'Brien, T. (2015) The Irish Debt Crisis, what happened? Workshop template for Community Education Settings. [Curriculum design / Support materials] [Link] | |
2015 | Fitzsimons, C and Connolly, B. (2015) Women's Reproduction and Rights. [Curriculum design / Support materials] [Link] |
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.
Employment
Outreach Activities
Organisation | Type | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
The Abortion Rights Campaign | Civic Society | The Abortion Rights Campaign (ARC) is the largest pro-choice campaign group in Ireland with a strong international reputation. I am a member of the Policy and Advocacy sub-committee. I also take a lead role in education initiatives within ARC [Link] | |
Partners Training for Transformation | Civic Society | Partners Training for Transformation is a civil society organisation interested in Freirean, critical pedagogy. I am a member of their Board of Directors. Partners is a community education. Our approach to education is participatory, experiential and hands-on. [Link] | |
Dublin 7/Dublin 15 Action Against Gender-Based Violence | Civic Society | Dublin 7/Dublin 15 is a local activist group was established in 2019 with the express intention of putting gender-based violence on the political agenda. We have organised a range of local initiatives, information evenings and campaigns [Link] |
Teaching Interests
I teach across a range of programmes from certificate to doctoral level.
My teaching interests include community education, gender and feminism, critical pedagogy, group work, philosophies and practice of adult education.
My teaching interests include community education, gender and feminism, critical pedagogy, group work, philosophies and practice of adult education.