Pia is a researcher at the intersection of gender equity studies and political science, with a professional background in communications. She has extensive experience in innovative forms of citizen-participation, particularly in forums that are often overlooked in traditional paradigms. Pia is also passionate about bridging the gap between academia and mainstream audiences, and she writes a regular research column for the Foundation’s gender equality media platform, BroadAgenda.
Give us a glimpse into the journey that has brought you to where you are now. Did you always want to work in academia?
When I first started my undergrad in media production here at UC in early 2000’s (welp! Just shows how old I am), I fully expected to work in communications and media afterwards. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was falling in love with all the Cultural Studies units which back then formed part of the degree.
Unfortunately I got quite unwell during my Honours year, and had to take a public service job to be able to both cover my medical expenses and to have the flexibility to get well again, so I couldn’t follow straight through to postgrad and beyond. However, the passion was always there, so after a couple of years I started clawing my way back in, piece by piece. At first it was only tutoring while I was on mat leave, then doing some RA work, then got to do some lecturing.. and then I realised that it was inevitable. The love for academia was too strong to ignore. Supported by the professor I was working for at the time, I ended up submitting my PhD application. And about thousand twists and turns later, I’m still hanging in here!
Did you have any academic role models that helped in your decision making?
Oh, absolutely! I was so very fortunate to be taught by Assoc Prof Bethaney Turner, who encouraged me to do my honours and agreed to be my supervisor. Bethaney’s enthusiasm was infectious, and of all the extraordinary people I’ve since met in academia, she was my first true role model.
And of course I can’t answer this question without saying a few words about the larger than life, Prof Dave Marsh. Dave and I met just as I started seriously contemplating submitting my PhD application. Dave took an interest in my project, which at the time many other poli sci people thought was quite frivolous (apparently mothers and social media did not ‘belong’ in serious areas such as poli sci, and I would be ‘better off in sociology’). Thankfully Dave had no patience for such nonsense, and he was extremely supportive of all the juggling that came with combining PhD studies with two kids under 5.
What is the best advice you have ever received in the course of your studies and career?
Don’t ever try to compare your academic journey to anyone else’s (easier said than done when everyone else seems to be ‘killing it’!) There are no shared blueprints or timelines that we all can follow. Carve your own space but do it with integrity, and even at times when academia seems more like a blood sport, do not base your life’s work in opposition to someone else’s. In other words, just be a decent citizen!
The inimitable Prof Ariadne Vromen also taught me very early on the value of horizontal support networks, and throughout my whole career this has probably been the single most important factor in keeping me going on even when it all seems impossible. I think UC and BGL in particular (not that I’m biased or anything) have the loveliest and best colleagues anyone could hope for.
Projects that I am working on:
I am currently finalising my project on the division of unpaid labour at home during COVID-19. For more on that, please see this video: https://youtu.be/bVk0HZTstPM
I’ve also recently done a small project on Australian female politicians’ unpaid labour.
And I submitted my first DECRA this year. But seeing as it is my first, all I’m expecting is some decent-ish (?) feedback so that I can improve the application next year. Hope springs eternal…
Most recent and relevant publications:
Rowe, P. 2022, ‘Research Wrap: In the shadows of war’. BroadAgenda. https://www.broadagenda.com.au/2022/research-wrap-in-the-shadows-of-war/
Rowe, P. 2021, ‘Essential Part of Life or Essentially Ignored? Combining Care Labour with Parliamentary Duties’, Australasian Parliamentary Review, vol. 36, no. 2.
Rowe, P. & Alver, J. 2021, ‘Unpaid labour: Gender and the unseen work of politicians’ in Ghazarian, Zareh & Lee-Koo, Katrina (eds.), Gender politics: Navigating political leadership in Australia, New South Publishing, pp. 135-146.
Kim Rubenstein, Trish Bergin & Pia Rowe 2020, ‘Gender, Leadership and Representative Democracy’, Democratic Theory, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 94–103.
Find me on socials:
Twitter: @MammaPia
Website: www.piarowe.com
Comments