Childhood, Culture and Society
In a Global Context
A multifaceted and extensive analysis of the study of children and childhood. Linking key concepts, themes and problems together, the text offers an interdisciplinary approach with its topical and timely case studies and illustrations which illuminate the latest research in the field. Key features include:
- A number of international case studies including children and military conflict, child migrants, children and networking sites, child trafficking, and children as consumers
- Questions which help you to make connections between topics and get you reflecting on your own childhood
- Engaging learning features including chapter aims, boxed sections, summaries and further reading suggestions
This book is indeed an exciting read! Written with clarity and thoroughly argued, Wyness confirms his place as one of the key authors within contemporary social science writing on children and childhood. The book provides an insightful account of the important shift from a modernist 20th century version of childhood, with its emphasis on child protection, development and independence to a post-modern 21st century conception of childhood, with its focus on children’s voice, agency and participation in the families, communities and societies where they grow up. Childhood, Culture and Society is a formidable exploration of the nature of contemporary childhood in globally disparate regions. Running through the book is not only a committed scholarly voice, but also the recognition of an inevitable political dimension to childhood in the discussion of an array of empirical themes and concerns.
This is an excellent introduction to the subject, wide-ranging, authoritative and accessible. The presentation of key concepts in the understanding of contemporary childhood, followed by a series of thematic explorations, makes for an effective combination of breadth and depth. I would recommend it to students in particular.
Childhood, Culture and Society is a comprehensive, timely, and highly readable text with many informative case studies. Michael Wyness offers new and innovate insights especially in the areas of children’s rights, global childhood, and intergenerational relations. A major contribution to childhood studies!
This text has been useful across a number of our modules and the thematic nature of the chapters helps students to bring together different ideas and contrast past and present perspectives on childhood.
