The Government of Childhood: Discourse, Power and Subjectivity (Studies in Childhood and Youth)

Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. "It is widely acknowledged that the gradual emergence of the modern nation-state is associated with intensified interest in the government of childhood. Grounded in the Foucauldian literature on governmentality and drawing on a broad range of disciplines, this book examines the government of childhood in the West from the early modern period to the present. The book deals with three key time periods, examining shifts in the conceptualization and regulation of childhood and child-rearing between the late sixteenth and late eighteenth century; between the late eighteenth century and the mid/late twentieth century and the period from the late twentieth century to the present day. Building on the work of Chris Jenks, The Government of Childhood deploys the images of the Dionysian and Apollonian images of childhood as symbolic targets of power/knowledge and presents a third model - the Athenian child - as a symbolic target of modes of exercising power over the young that is grounded in children's capacity for agency"-- Provided by publisher Grounded in the Foucauldian literature on governmentality and drawing on a broad range of disciplines, this book examines the government of childhood in the West from the early modern period to the present. The book deals with three key time-periods and examines shifts in the conceptualization and regulation of childhood and child-rearing. Drawing on diverse theoretical perspectives, this book examines questions of youth citizenship and participation by exploring their meanings in policy, practice and youth experience. It examines young people's participation in non-government and youth-led organisations, and asks what can be done to bridge the democratic disconnect. Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction....Pages 1-6 Conceptualising Governmentality....Pages 7-37 Subjects of Government....Pages 38-74 Disciplining Childhood....Pages 75-129 The Gentle Way in Child Government....Pages 130-174 Governing the Responsible Child....Pages 175-197 Conclusion....Pages 198-203 Back Matter....Pages 204-256 Drawing on ethnographic accounts of children's media-referenced play, this book explores children's engagement with media cultures and playground experiences, analyzing a range of issues such as learning, fantasy, communication and identity. This book explores the extent to which children engage with questions of morality, arguing that they are active members of society who have both the capacity and understanding to engage with discourses of morality