Victoria de Rijke

Dr Victoria de Rijke is an active academic researcher affiliated with Middlesex University, where she earned her PhD in 2000. She holds an hourly academic position, contributing to research and teaching in the fields of children’s literature, early childhood education, and visual arts. Her work is deeply interdisciplinary, engaging with critical theory, ecopedagogy, and arts-based methodologies.

• PhD in Childhood Studies, Middlesex University, 2000

Her research interests center on critical and postdevelopmental approaches to childhood, with a focus on play, picturebooks, and the integration of ecological and artistic practices in education. She explores how children’s literature and visual arts can challenge normative developmental frameworks and open spaces for affective, political, and ecological engagement. Her scholarship often draws on feminist theory, biopolitics, and posthumanism, particularly through the lens of thinkers like Ursula K. Le Guin.

Victoria de Rijke’s recent publications reveal a strong thematic trajectory toward ecopedagogy, AI and reading, and the use of creative methods like collage and scribble as both artistic and research practices. Her work frequently appears in journals such as Global Studies of Childhood, Qualitative Inquiry, and Children's Literature in Education, and she has edited or contributed to key volumes with publishers like Bloomsbury, Springer, and Routledge.

She is an active member of the Centre for Education Research and Scholarship (CERS) and the Museum and Gallery Education group at Middlesex University, indicating strong engagement with both academic and public-facing educational practices.

Dr de Rijke has not received any explicitly mentioned scientific awards in the provided texts. However, her sustained scholarly output and editorial roles suggest significant recognition within her academic community.

She has collaborated extensively with scholars such as Jayne Osgood, Rachel Sinker, and Helen Hollands. While no formal list of advisees is provided, her mentorship may be inferred through collaborative publications with emerging researchers and student teachers. She has not disclosed any grant funding in the provided materials.

Her research often involves collaborative projects with galleries and cultural institutions, such as Tate Modern and Arnolfini Gallery, reflecting a commitment to bridging academic research with public and artistic engagement. These collaborations highlight her interest in how art and play can be integrated into educational theory and practice.