Zinnia Mevawalla is a Lecturer in Early Years Education at the School of Education. Zinnia has previously worked across institutions in Australia (University of Canberra, Macquarie University and Sydney University) and the United Kingdom (University of East London).

Zinnia is interested in understanding how initiatives and practices in the early years can foster participation, inclusion and equity for children, families/caregivers and communities. There are five central themes to her work: Social Inclusion in Early Childhood, Inclusive Education in Early Childhood, Social Justice in the Early Years, Resistance and Dignity Work in the Early Years and Critical Qualitative Research Approaches.

Zinnia is interested in understanding how initiatives and practices in the early years can foster social inclusion for children, families/caregivers and communities. Using critical and resistance theories, her work focuses on listening to children, families/caregivers and community stakeholders who experience systematic exclusion in diverse international contexts. Her focus is on research which examines barriers and the potential for inclusion, equity, participation and transformative resistance. Zinnia is also interested in research which explores how educators, transdisciplinary professionals and community stakeholders work across early childhood contexts to support children and families/caregivers who experience social exclusion.

Zinnia teaches Early Years subjects across the undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the School of Education. She is also involved in the supervision of PGR students.

• PhD in Early Childhood Education - Macquarie University, Australia
• Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)(Hons)(1st class) - Macquarie University, Australia