Dr Diana Sousa

Biography

Diana Sousa joined the University of Winchester in 2014 as a Lecturer in Education Studies, and has since been actively involved in developing the early childhood pathway within the Education Studies programme. She currently teaches a range of modules on the BA (Hons) Education Studies with particular references to policy, education and society; progressive and participatory approaches within education; and early childhood.

Originally from Portugal, Diana arrived in the UK in 2007 as an early-years educator with a passion for arts, democracy and social justice. She worked in different ECE settings and found democratic practices at the heart of her interests. Prior to coming to Winchester, Diana pursued her passion for democracy by acting as the Students’ Union President of the Institute of Education Students’ Union.

Diana completed her MA in Comparative Education also at the IOE, and with this programme she developed a profound interest for understanding education systems, policies and practices around the globe. She completed her PhD in Education at the UCL-Institute of Education (IOE). Her PhD scrutinised how democracy is described and interpreted both historically and in education policy, whilst providing an understanding of how democracy is enacted in early childhood education in Portugal.

Areas of expertise

• Early childhood care and education (theory, policy and practice)
• Democratic education
• Lifelong and comparative education

Publications

Conferences

• Sousa, D. (2015) Translating and Transgressing Democracy: The complexities of democratic approaches in early childhood education in Portugal. 23rd International Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education (RECE) Conference. Blanchardstown Institute of Technology Dublin, Ireland
• Sousa, D. (2015) Revolutionary Walls – A study of the Enactment of democracy in Early Childhood Education. 25th European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) Annual Conference. Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.
• Sousa, D. (2013) Democracy and Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Portugal: History, Values, and Culture. 23rd European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) Annual Conference. University of Tallinn, Estonia.
• Sousa, D. (2012) Education and Democracy: An investigation of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Portugal. 22nd European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) Annual Conference. Oporto Polytechnic Institute, Portugal.
• Sousa, D. (2012) The ‘Democratic Experience’ of a Dictatorship: Reflections on the R(evolution) of the Portuguese Educational System. 6th Annual International Centre for Education for Democratic Citizenship (ICEDC) Conference. Birkbeck, University of London, UK.
• Sousa, D. (2012) From the development of democracy to the democratization of Early Childhood Education (ECE) – Portugal post 1974. Doctoral School Summer Conference, Institute of Education. University of London, UK