The Politics of Childhood : International Perspectives, Contemporary Developments

This book analyzes the nature and experience of childhoods around the world at the beginning of the 21st century. Wide-ranging developments concerning children in the fields of social policy, sociology and politics have spurred significant growth in the social study of childhood. The book, which is primarily designed for students, academics and practitioners who need to keep up with fast-moving contemporary developments, considers childhood from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 List of Tables and Figures......Page 11 Biographical Notes: Chapter Authors......Page 12 Abbreviations......Page 18 Part One: Children in Theory and History......Page 20 1 Introduction: The Politics of Childhood – An Overview......Page 22 Deconstructing 'children's needs' – Woodhead revisited......Page 32 Prioritising 'children's needs' – the Children Act 1989......Page 34 Contextualising 'children's needs' – the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families......Page 35 Contesting 'children's needs' – the issue of 'young carers'......Page 37 Reconstructing 'children's needs' – thoughts on a way forward......Page 39 Clarifying human needs – the philosophical foundation......Page 41 Children defining their needs......Page 43 Marginalisation, children's rights and children's needs......Page 44 Conclusion – escaping the deficit model......Page 46 Introduction......Page 51 The turn to child-rearing in the New Republic......Page 52 The project of Republican socialisation......Page 55 Winning the child's will......Page 57 The crucible of the modern citizen......Page 60 The American model today......Page 64 Conclusion......Page 66 Lost childhood in the 1930s......Page 69 National security and the rights of childhood......Page 73 Schools and American democracy......Page 77 The Brown decision and the rights of childhood......Page 78 Interpreting the struggle for Civil Rights......Page 82 Conclusion......Page 84 Part Two: Children, Money and Work......Page 90 Introduction......Page 92 The literature on child labour......Page 93 Approaches of Children's Rights Conventions......Page 94 Implementation of youth policy and labour standards in the societies under comparison......Page 95 Assumptions and expectations......Page 97 The nature of child work......Page 99 Rights and legislation......Page 100 Conclusion......Page 103 Introduction......Page 109 Children's contribution to household labour......Page 111 Emotional labour......Page 112 Entertaining guests......Page 114 Entertaining the guests – children's emotional labour......Page 116 Changing demands on children's labour......Page 118 Children's resistance to emotional labour demands......Page 119 Conclusion......Page 122 Introduction......Page 126 Current research on child poverty in rich countries......Page 127 Child-poverty research and the sociology of childhood......Page 130 Child-poverty research and literature on children's coping......Page 131 Poor children's experiences......Page 133 Discussion: variability in children's personal experiences......Page 136 Poor children's coping strategies......Page 138 Conclusion......Page 139 Part Three: Children at School......Page 144 Introduction......Page 146 Toothless rights?......Page 147 Recasting educational policy: the 1993 reform......Page 149 Parents: using schooling as a bargaining counter......Page 151 Children, adolescents or adults?......Page 154 Conclusion......Page 155 Introduction......Page 164 Segregation in education......Page 166 The difference between saying and doing......Page 174 Conclusion – widening the gap......Page 178 Introduction......Page 185 Children and participation in law......Page 187 Illusion and reality......Page 189 Pale reflections in an adult world......Page 193 Now you see her, now you don't......Page 195 Conclusion......Page 197 Part Four: Children, Power and Decision-making......Page 202 Introduction......Page 204 Context and impetus for placing children on the political agenda......Page 205 Changing perspectives on children and their position in society......Page 206 Other key drivers......Page 209 What does the Agenda contain?......Page 211 Children's involvement in developing the Agenda......Page 215 Discussion......Page 217 Conclusion......Page 222 Introduction: childhood and the media......Page 227 Studying families......Page 229 The use of children on television......Page 230 Children's agency and competence......Page 231 Public involvement in regulation: Research methodology......Page 232 Research questions......Page 233 Family research: viewing material......Page 234 Procedure......Page 236 Results and discussion: differences between parents and children......Page 238 Family discussions: children's competence......Page 239 Conclusion......Page 242 Introduction......Page 245 The research context......Page 246 Conceptions of childhood......Page 247 Theorising the 'political' construction of childhood......Page 251 The tensions of praxis......Page 255 Conclusion: giving the child a voice......Page 261 Introduction......Page 264 Historical and theoretical contexts......Page 266 The impact of the 1989 Children Act and the UN Convention......Page 268 The impact of the 'quality' agenda and the drive towards 'evidence-based practice'......Page 271 The new sociology of childhood and the scope for emancipatory research in child and adolescent mental health......Page 274 Summary and conclusion......Page 277 Introduction......Page 282 The politics of childhood: history, work, education and power......Page 283 Globalisation and childhood......Page 286 The control and visibility of childhood......Page 287 C......Page 291 E......Page 293 G......Page 294 L......Page 295 N......Page 296 P......Page 297 U......Page 298 Y......Page 299 This Book Analyses The Nature And Experience Of Childhoods Around The World At The Beginning Of The Twenty-first Century. Wide-ranging Developments Concerning Children In The Fields Of Social Policy, Sociology And Politics Have Spurred Significant Growth In The Social Study Of Childhood. The Book, Which Is Primarily Designed For Students, Academics And Practitioners Who Need To Keep Up With Fast-moving Contemporary Developments, Considers Childhood From A Variety Of Disciplinary Perspectives. It Is Centred Around Contemporary Research And Informed Theoretical Discussion. Despite Ranging Widely, In Terms Of Both Geography And Subject Matter, The Book Integrates Its Discussion By Focusing On Major Themes In The Lives Of Children, Such As Work, Education And Participation In Decision-making.--jacket. Introduction: The Politics Of Childhood -- An Overview / Allison James And Adrian James -- Interpreting Children's Needs: Contested Assumptions In The Provision Of Welfare / Nigel Thomas -- The Politics Of Modern Childhood: American Socialisation And The Crisis Of Individualism / Jim Block -- The 'shame Of America': African-american Civil Rights And The Politics Of Childhood / Rebecca De Schweinitz -- Child Labour And Children's Rights: Policy Issues In Three Afflueent Societies / Wiebina Heesterman -- Entertaining Guests Or Entertaining The Guests: Chidlren's Enotional Labour In Hotels, Pubs And Boarding Houses / Julie Seymour -- Growing Up In Poverty While Liveing In An Affluent Society: Personal Experiences And Coping Strategies Of Dutch Poor Children / Tamara Van Der Hoek -- Mobilising Family Soidarity? Rights, Responsibilities And Secondary Schooling In Urban Mexico / Maribel Blasco -- Gypsy Children Can't Learn': Roma In The Hungarian Education System / Annabel Tremlett -- The Invisible Child In Education Law / Ann Blair -- Placing Children On The Political Agenda: New Zealand's Agenda For Children / Maree Brown And Jaleh Mccormack -- The Representation Of Children In The Media: Aspects Of Agency And Literacy / Maire Messenger Davies And Nick Mosdell -- Family Law And The Construction Of Childhood In England And Wales / Sally Mcnamee, Adrian James And Allison James -- Meeting The Chellange? Voicing Children And Young People In Mental Health Research / Vicki Coppock -- Future Directions For The Study Of Childhood / Jim Goddard. Edited By Jim Goddard ... [et Al.]. Arises Out Of The Third International Conference Held By The Centre For The Social Study Of Childhood At The University Of Hull In 2002--introd. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book analyses the nature and experience of childhoods around the world at the beginning of the 21st century. Wide-ranging developments concerning children in the fields of social policy, sociology and politics have spurred significant growth in the social study of childhood. The book, which is primarily designed for students, academics and practitioners who need to keep up with fast-moving contemporary developments, considers childhood from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. It is centred around exciting contemporary research and informed theoretical discussion. Despite ranging widely, in terms of both geography and subject matter, the book integrates its discussion by focusing on major themes in the lives of children, such as work, education and participation in decision-making