Historically, children were often understood in relation to their development towards adulthood, but the 'new paradigm' of childhood studies has since shown how they should be taken more seriously as active participants in their own lives. Studying childhood is not just a question of research on children, but increasingly a practice of research with them. With this 'new paradigm' having now come of age, Sally McNamee offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of childhood studies and its history. Taking a thematic approach, she looks at how issues such as rights and citizenship, the state, the family, school, work, leisure, health and globalisation shape and are shaped by children. The Social Study of Childhood is an accessible introduction for students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds such as childhood studies, sociology, psychology, social work and education. With reflection points for discussion and suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter, it is an engaging and stimulating account of how and why children's voices deserve to be heard in today's world.

William A. Corsaro’s groundbreaking text, The Sociology of Childhood, discusses children and childhood from a sociological perspective. Corsaro provides in-depth coverage of the social theories of childhood, the peer cultures and social issues of children and youth, children and childhood within the frameworks of culture and history, and social problems and the future of childhood. The Fifth Edition has been thoroughly updated to incorporate the latest research and the most pertinent information so readers can engage in powerful discussions on a wide array of topics.

Outlining sociology’s distinctive contribution to childhood studies and our understanding of contemporary children and childhood, The Sociology of Children, Childhood and Generation provides a thought provoking and comprehensive account of the connections between the macro worlds of childhood and the micro worlds of children’s everyday lives. Examining children’s involvement in areas such as the labour market, family life, education, play and leisure, the book provides an effective balance between understanding childhood as a structural phenomenon, and recognising children as meaning makers actively involved in constructing, co-constructing and reconstructing their everyday lives. Through the concept of ′generagency′ Madeleine Leonard offers a model for examining and illuminating how structure and agency are activated within interdependent relationships influenced by generational positioning. This framework provides a conceptual tool for thinking about the continuities, challenges and changes that impact on how childhood is lived and experienced.

In this ground-breaking book, Alan Prout discusses the place of children and childhood in modern society. He critically examines 'the new social studies of childhood', reconsidering some of its key assumptions and positions and arguing that childhood is heterogeneous and complex. The study of childhood requires a broad set of intellectual resources and an interdisciplinary approach. Chapters include: the changing social and cultural character of contemporary childhood and the weakening boundary between adulthood and childhood a look back at the emergence of childhood studies in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the nature/culture dichotomy the role of material artefacts and technologies in the construction of contemporary childhood. This book is essential reading for students and academics in the field of childhood studies, sociology and education.

The SAGE Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood Studies navigates our understanding of the historical, political, social and cultural dimensions of childhood. Transdisciplinary and transnational in content and scope, the Encyclopedia both reflects and enables the wide range of approaches, fields and understandings that have been brought to bear on the ever-transforming problem of the "child" over the last four decades This four-volume encyclopedia covers a wide range of themes and topics, including: Social Constructions of Childhood Children’s Rights Politics/Representations/Geographies Child-specific Research Methods Histories of Childhood/Transnational Childhoods Sociology/Anthropology of Childhood Theories and Theorists Key Concepts This interdisciplinary encyclopedia will be of interest to students and researchers in: Childhood Studies Sociology/Anthropology Psychology/Education Social Welfare Cultural Studies/Gender Studies/Disabilty Studies

The sociology of childhood and youth has sparked international interest in recent years, and yet a reader highlighting Canadian work in this field has been long overdue. Filling this gap in the literature, The Sociology of Childhood and Youth in Canada brings together cutting-edge Canadian scholarship in this important and growing discipline. Thought-provoking and timely, this edited collection explores a breadth of essential topics, including research on and with children and youth, the social construction of childhood and youth, intersecting identities, and citizenship, rights, and social engagement. With a focus on social justice, the contributing authors critically examine various sites of inequality in the lives of children and young people, such as gender, sexuality, colonialism, race, class, and disability. Encouraging further development of Canadian scholarship in the sociology of childhood and youth, this unique collection ensures that young people’s voices are heard by involving them in the research process. Pedagogical supports—including learning objectives, study questions, suggested research assignments, and a comprehensive glossary—make this volume an invaluable resource for students of childhood and youth studies in Canada.

Childhood can only be understood in relation to the multitude of social factors which surround it. This book is written for students doing degrees and foundation degrees in Early Years, Early Childhood Studies and related disciplines. It offers an introduction to the study of childhood and the different contexts within which childhood exists. The text encourages you to re-think childhood, exploring childhood from different contexts - from the child within the family, to the global perspective and the child′s own perspective. It enables you to begin to understand childhood in relation to society and to develop the skills to look at childhood from a critical standpoint. This Third Edition includes a new chapter on ′The Evolution of Early Years Provision′ adding essential context to the current situation. It has been updated in line with recent changes in the Early Years sector and includes some critical examination of the new Baseline Assessment.