European Childhoods: Cultures, Politics and Participation

In the context of a growing global awareness of the significance of children's rights and perspectives created by the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, this edited collection of papers explores the extent to which children's interests are finding expression in different societies in Western Europe. Its aim is to compare the ways in which social and welfare issues around childhood are being framed and realised, both within policies and legislation and through cultural practices. If, as is frequently argued, "the child is a nation's future", such a comparative project is timely, given the drive for a common European political identity. -- from publisher description Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Notes on the Contributors......Page 9 1 European Childhoods: An Overview......Page 12 2 Children as New Citizens: In the Best Interests of the Child?......Page 25 3 Children in Nature: Cultural Ideas and Social Practices in Norway......Page 49 4 Children’s Cultures and New Technologies: A Gap between Generations? Some Reflections from the Spanish Context......Page 72 5 Children at the Margins? Changing Constructions of Childhood in Contemporary Ireland......Page 93 6 Changing Childhood in the UK: Reconstructing Discourses of ‘Risk’ and ‘Protection’......Page 116 7 Institutional Upbringing: A Discussion of the Politics of Childhood in Contemporary Denmark......Page 140 8 Education and the Cultural Politics of Childhood in Cyprus......Page 160 9 Children’s Culture, Cultural Education and Policy Approaches to Children’s Culture: The Case of Germany......Page 183 10 Work and Care: Reconstructing Childhood through Childcare Policy in Germany......Page 209 11 Childhood in the Welfare State......Page 227 C......Page 245 D......Page 248 E......Page 249 F......Page 250 H......Page 251 K......Page 252 N......Page 253 P......Page 254 R......Page 257 S......Page 258 T......Page 259 W......Page 260 Z......Page 261 European childhoods : an overview / Adrian James and Allison James Children as new citizens : in the best interests of the child? / Anne Trine Kjørholt Children in nature : cultural ideas and social practices in Norway / Randi Dyblie Nilsen Children's cultures and new technologies : a gap between generations? Some reflections from the Spanish context / Ferran Casas Children at the margins? Changing constructions of childhood in contemporary Ireland / Dympna Devine Changing childhood in the UK : reconstructing discourses of 'risk' and 'protection' / Adrian James and Allison James Institutional upbringing : a discussion of the politics of childhood in contemporary Denmark / Eva Gulløw Education and the cultural politics of childhood in Cyprus / Spyros Spyrou Children's culture, cultural education and policy approaches to children's culture : the case of Germany / Heinz Hengst Work and care : reconstructing childhood through childcare policy in Germany / Michael-Sebastian Honig Childhood in the welfare state / Jens Qvortrup. Edited by two of the leading academics in the field of childhood studies, this collection draws together contributions from a number of different European countries. It sets out to explore the ways in which 'culture' is produced and reproduced through social policies and practices relating to children and to identify any commonalities or differences between them, a task which is of central importance to the debate about both individual and national identities in the context of a developing Europe. Drawing on a variety of empirical evidence - including the analysis of policy documents in different European States, the consideration of how 'childhood' is constructed and represented through the implementation of such policies, and the impact of these on children themselves, the book offers a revealing analysis of the different ways in which children are positioned by such policies throughout Europe and asks about the significance of these both for childhood and for the future adult citizens that today's children will become The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child resulted in even greater global awareness of the significance of children's rights and perspectives. The contributors to this book explore the extent to which children's interests are finding expression in different societies in Western Europe. Edited By Allison James And Adrian L. James. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.