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Childhood, Politics and Ambiguity: Towards an Agenda for Children's Political Inclusion

Wyness, Michael; Harrison, Lisa; Buchanan, Ian

Authors

Michael Wyness

Lisa Harrison Lisa.Harrison@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Dean - Learning and Teaching

Ian Buchanan



Abstract

This article examines the relationship between children, young people and the world of politics. Whilst the past decade or so has seen the development of initiatives that draw children within the political sphere, there are powerful political and social forces that position children as dependent subalterns and thus exclude them from political participation. We address this ambiguous situation by referring to competing discourses on childhood: the discourse on children's needs that foregrounds their transitional social status and an imperative to protect, and a set of ideas that revolves around children having collective 'interests' that require political articulation. In drawing out these competing discourses, the article addresses a range of 'inclusive' policies at global, national and local levels.

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2004
Journal Sociology
Print ISSN 0038-0385
Electronic ISSN 1469-8684
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Not Peer Reviewed
Volume 38
Issue 1
Pages 81-99
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038504039362
Keywords childhood, interests, needs, participation, politics
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1062875
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0038038504039362