Tending the Gardens of Citizenship : Child Saving in Toronto, 1880s-1920s

At the threshold of the social era (1880s1920s) in Canada, the idea of child saving emerged within the framework of building national citizenship, aimed at ensuring that children the future citizens would grow up to be useful, self-controlled, Christian adults. Child saving work connected the conduct of individuals with issues of societal importance and attempted to install a desirable mode of power in child rearing and child saving that can best be described as the gardening governmentality. Tending the Gardens of Citizenship takes a Foucauldian approach to child saving work during the beginning of the social era in Toronto and demonstrates the difference between the positions of children in citizenship politics at that time and today. Xiaobei Chen breaks new ground with her critical observation of current canonical ideas and practices centred around keeping kids safe. She demonstrates that the protection of children from parental abuse and neglect is best understood as an interest that has undergone radical historical transformations, depending on the political and social projects of the day. This book marks a serious advancement in the study of Canadian social history, critical analysis of child welfare, and governmentality studies in social work. In Tending The Gardens Of Citizenship, Xiaobei Chen Takes A Foucauldian Governmentality Approach To The Subject Of Child Saving Work During This Period And Demonstrates The Difference Between The Positions Of Children In Citizenship Politics At That Time And Today. While Breaking New Ground With Her Critical Observation Of Canonical Ideas And Practices, The Author Argues That The Protection Of Children From Parental Abuse And Neglect Is Best Understood As A Project That Has Undergone Radical Historical Transformations, Depending On The Political And Social Agendas Of The Day. This Book Marks A Serious Advancement In The Study Of Canadian Social History, Child Welfare, And Government Policy.--jacket. 1. The Emergence Of Child Saving : Influence Of The Christian Mission And Prison-reform Movements -- 2. The Evil Twins Of Cruelty And Neglect : Seeds Of Moral And Social Problems -- 3. 'cultivating Children As You Would Valuable Plants:' The Gardening Governmentality Of Parenting And Child Saving -- 4. Reports, Visits, And Case Records : Processes Of Establishing Power/knowledge -- 5. The Shelter : A Locus Of Organizing And Transforming Power Relations -- 6. The Detention Room : A Jail Under Children's Aid Auspices? -- 7. Foster Care : A Technology For Applying Proper Parental Power -- 8. Child Protection At The Turn Of The Twenty-first Century : 'keeping Kids Safe'. Xiaobei Chen. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [151]-192) And Index.

At the threshold of the ‘social’ era (1880s–1920s) in Canada, the idea of ‘child saving’ emerged within the framework of building national citizenship, aimed at ensuring that children – the ‘future citizens’ – would grow up to be useful, self-controlled, Christian adults. Child saving work connected the conduct of individuals with issues of societal importance and attempted to install a desirable mode of power in child rearing and child saving that can best be described as ‘the gardening governmentality.’

Tending the Gardens of Citizenship takes a Foucauldian approach to child saving work during the beginning of the social era in Toronto and demonstrates the difference between the positions of children in citizenship politics at that time and today. Xiaobei Chen breaks new ground with her critical observation of current canonical ideas and practices centred around ‘keeping kids safe.’ She demonstrates that the protection of children from parental abuse and neglect is best understood as an interest that has undergone radical historical transformations, depending on the political and social projects of the day. This book marks a serious advancement in the study of Canadian social history, critical analysis of child welfare, and governmentality studies in social work.

Contents 7 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 23 Chapter 1. The Emergence of Child Saving: Influence of the Christian Mission and the Prison-Reform Movements 39 Chapter 2. The Evil Twins of Cruelty and Neglect: Seeds of Moral and Social Problems 51 Chapter 3. ‘Cultivate Children as You Would Valuable Plants:’ The Gardening Governmentality of Parenting and Child Saving 66 Chapter 4. Reports, Visits, and Case Records: Processes of Establishing Power/Knowledge 90 Chapter 5. The Shelter: A Locus of Organizing and Transforming Power Relations 99 Chapter 6. The Detention Room: A Jail under Children’s Aid Auspices? 122 Chapter 7. Foster Care: Technology for Applying Proper Parental Power 139 Chapter 8. Child Protection at the Turn of the Twenty-first Century: ‘Keeping Kids Safe’ 150 Notes 171 References 197 Index 213 "In Tending the Gardens of Citizenship, Xiaobei Chen takes a Foucauldian governmentality approach to the subject of child saving work during this period and demonstrates the difference between the positions of children in citizenship politics at that time and today. While breaking new ground with her critical observation of canonical ideas and practices, the author argues that the protection of children from parental abuse and neglect is best understood as a project that has undergone radical historical transformations, depending on the political and social agendas of the day. This book marks a serious advancement in the study of Canadian social history, child welfare, and government policy."--Résumé de l'éditeur