Education and Constructions of Childhood

Blundell provides an authoritative overview of the many publications about the social construction of childhood, coupled with an original analysis of the moral and theological origins of the concept of childhood and their relevance to contemporary society and schooling. This is an important book for those involved in the education and care of children at all levels.

[This book] will enable students to gain a thorough understanding of the interconnectedness of different aspects of the literature.

Education and Constructions of Childhood is exactly the sort of text required by students aiming to work with children in a variety of professional roles as it examines a number of key background assumptions about the major theorists on education and childhood in the UK. It is very readable, and the strong chronological organisation makes it helpful for students to organise their understanding of the interplay between theorists and the cumulative nature of knowledge. Also, it does two very important things for future professionals. Firstly, it will help them resist the temptation to make major theorists into plaster saints or demi-gods and secondly, it will assist them in understanding the UNCRC 1989 and the ACRWC 1999 as human attempts to articulate universal rights rather than examples of divine writ.

Education and the Constructions of Childhood is immediately accessible and engaging to undergraduates who are embarking on a study of childhood. This book provides a strong and cohesive framework for understanding the development of the idea of childhood over time. There are useful activities scattered throughout the text that will support the readers own ideas and their thinking as they engage with the text. This book should be recommended as core reading for all first year students on courses as diverse as Early Childhood Studies, Education Studies and Initial Teacher Training.