Friederike Schmidt

Prof. Dr. Friederike Schmidt is a Professor of General Educational Science with a focus on Gender and Educational Anthropology at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Duisburg-Essen. Her research explores intersections of pedagogy, gender, and care systems, particularly in childcare institutions and educational practices.

• Current DFG-funded project: 'Nutritional Education and Care in Childcare Facilities'
• Co-founder of the EssensPaed research network
• Active in interdisciplinary educational research, including historical anthropology and qualitative methodologies

Her work emphasizes:

• Pedagogical constructions of childhood and gender
• Public/private dynamics in education and care
• Discursive analysis of pedagogical knowledge formation
• Life-phase theories in youth research, including Girl Hood Studies

Recent publications and presentations highlight ethnographic approaches to food as an educational space and critical reflections on pandemic-era care inequalities. She serves on the executive board of the German Society for Educational Sciences (DGfE) Commission for Educational Anthropology.