A Will of Their Own : Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Working Children

Children's work is on the increase in all parts of the world, including the affluent countries of Europe and North America, and is closely linked with the processes of globalization. It can take on widely differing forms and can harm children, but also benefit them. This book's approach is distinctive: it endeavors to understand working children, and their ways of living and acting, from their own perspective. It is interested in the children's own experiences and hopes, especially their attempts to speak out in public and to fight together against exploitation and discrimination. It shows that children frequently see and evaluate their work differently from adults, and that measures directed against children's work are not always in the interests of the children. It argues for a new, subject-oriented approach in dealing with children's work, which takes account of socio-cultural contexts, both in theory and practice. Children's Work Is Neither Simply A Relic Of Bygone Times Nor A Feature Of So-called Backward Societies. It Is, In Fact, Currently On The Increase - In A Number Of Different Ways - In All Parts Of The World, Including The Affluent Countries Of Europe And North America, And Is Closely Linked To The Processes Of Globalization. This Book Endeavours To Understand Working Children, And Their Ways Of Living And Acting, From Their Own Perspective. Particular Attention Is Paid To Children's Own Experiences And Hopes, Especially Their Attempts To Articulate Themselves In Public And To Fight Together Against Exploitation And Discrimination.--jacket. Introduction -- Working Children's Movements In Africa, Latin America And Asia -- Children's Work From The Perspective Of Social Research: An International Stock-taking -- The Working Child Has A Will Of Its Own: Subject-oriented And Participative Research On Children's Work In Latin America -- Childhood And Work In Non-western Cultures: The Fruits Of Ethnological And Anthropological Research -- Working Children In Europe: Loss Or New Perspectives Of Childhood? -- Working Children And Adolescents In The Usa: Juggling School And Work -- Work And Play In The Lives Of Children: Reflections On An Unfortunate Separation And Possible Connections -- The Economic Exploitation Of Children: Towards A Subject-oriented Praxis -- How Working Children Resist Exploitation And Strive To Share In Decisions About Their Work: Experiences And Examples From Various Continents And Periods -- Ways To Self-determined Children's Work? The Significance And Problems Of Educationally Conceived Work Projects -- Thoughts On A Subject-oriented Theory Of Working Children. Manfred Liebel. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [285]-311) And Index. Manfred Liebel approaches the issue of child labour from the perspective of the children involved, acknowledging that work can benefit children as well as cause them harm. He relays the hopes & experiences of children & discusses the ways in which they evaluate work, exploitation & discrimination This book shows how children's work can take on widely differing forms; and how it can both harm and benefit children. Differing in approach from most other work in the field, it endeavours to understand working children from their own perspective.