This book argues that with the rise of market fundamentalism and the ensuing economic and financial crisis, youth are facing a crisis unlike that of any other generation. With the collapse of the welfare state, youth are no longer seen as a social investment but as troubling and, in some cases, disposable, especially poor minority youth. Caught between the discourses of consumerism and a powerful crime-control-complex, young people are increasingly either viewed as commodities or are subjected to the dictates of an ever expanding criminal justice system.

Constructing a new analytic of youth, Giroux explores the current conditions of young people and their everyday experiences within this emerging crime complex, a politics of disposability, and the ever present market-driven forces of commercialization and commodification. Drawing upon the work of theorists such as Zygmunt Bauman, Judith Butler, Agamben, Foucault, and others as a theoretical foundation for addressing the growth of a rigid market fundamentalism and a punishing state, Giroux explores both the increasing militarization and commercialization of schools and other public spheres, and what can happen to a society in which young people are increasingly portrayed as dangerous and, hence, no longer appear to be a referent for a democratic future. But Giroux does more than examine the implications this new war on youth has for American society, he also analyses the role that educators, parents, intellectuals, and others can play in both challenging the plight of young people deepening and extending the promise of a better future and a sustainable and viable democracy.http: //www.henryagiroux.com/

"Passion for Action in Child and Family Services: Voices from the Prairies "offers a fresh perspective on contemporary issues in child and family services in Canada. These authors passionately share their experiences with new and emerging policies, programs, and initiatives--all of which hold promise for effectively meeting the needs of at-risk children, youth, and families. Grounded in practice and arising out of the unique Prairie context, this book offers both information and inspiration for policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and students interested in child and family services.

What is happening to young adults in contemporary Europe? How central is ethnic background to their prospects and lives? This book provides a comparative analysis of the situation of over 2500 children of international migrants in Europe. Focussing on Britain, France and Germany, it examines nine ethnic/nationality groups including Pakistanis and Indians in Britain, Magrebians in France and Turks in Germany. The book includes new empirical material on language use, educational experiences, labour market entry, political incorporation and cultural behaviour of young adults in these three countries based upon a unique comparative international survey. Roger Penn and Paul Lambert offer an antidote to the hysteria surrounding international migrants that has become increasingly evident in the media since 2001. Their findings indicate that there is a widespread process of assimilation underway in each of the three countries, alongside the maintenance of cultural and religious identities associated with parents' country of birth.

The majority of adolescent stutters have a long history of dysfluency and as they approach the final years of their schooling they may become apprehensive about their future, particulary in relation to further education, career options, job interviews etc. The treatment of this age group is further complicated by the experience of adolescence itself, and the problems presented by this group are very different to those posed by young children or adults who stutter.

This book presents a Communication Skills Approach to the treatment of adolescent stuttering which has been developed over many years of clinical experience.

DK brings you an all-encompassing practical guide to the seasons that take place in the world around us, and just how magical they can be! Author Vicky Woodgate introduces a beautifully-illustrated and informative book to teach your child everything they need to know about the changing seasons in our world. What are seasons and why do they change? How can we measure seasons? Are seasons the same for everyone? These are all valuable questions that can be answered within this easy-to-follow weather book, proving the ideal read for 7-9 year olds. Inside the pages of this first-class climate book for kids, you can expect to find: -Top tips, quizzes and activities to reflect on the information learned throughout the book -Visually engaging content including maps, charts and scenes -Easy to read language encompassing key vocabulary about seasons Let DK plant the seed of curiosity in the minds of our young readers, and watch as it blossoms into a life-long love of learning about the natural world and the science and history behind it. At DK, we believe in the power of discovery. That's why this global guide to seasons tackles the topic from a scientific, historical and geographical perspective, whilst including tips and tricks on mental and physical health of nature, to fully captivate young readers, and cover the seasons throughout the world's history, ensuring we shape their learning experience like never before. A must-have volume for children with a passion for the natural world, weather and geography, or simply those who wish to satisfy their curiosity by learning about the changes in the environment around them. This superb season book will keep the kids enthralled time and time again, proving the ideal key stage 2 book for primary school learning, or doubling up as a riveting read for parents and children to enjoy together.

A landmark publication in the field, this state-of-the-art reference work, with contributions from leading thinkers across a range of disciplines, is an essential guide to the study of children and childhood, and sets out future research agendas for the subject.

Divided into six parts, this substantive reference work charts how childhood studies has moved beyond developmental issues to focus on broader issues of children in society, as actors and agents, and as subjects of policy intervention. It is a comprehensive overview of key theoretical and empirical work in the field of childhood studies.

This book explains the differences between European countries in the supply and forms of public child care and preschool provisions by reference to the historical context in which these forms originated and to the institutional constraints underlying their development.

Childhood Deployed examines the reintegration of former child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Based on eighteen months of participant-observer ethnographic fieldwork and ten years of follow-up research, the book argues that there is a fundamental disconnect between the Western idea of the child soldier and the individual lived experiences of the child soldiers of Sierra Leone. Susan Shepler contends that the reintegration of former child soldiers is a political process having to do with changing notions of childhood as one of the central structures of society.

For most Westerners the tragedy of the idea of "child soldier" centers around perceptions of lost and violated innocence. In contrast, Shepler finds that for most Sierra Leoneans, the problem is not lost innocence but the horror of being separated from one's family and the resulting generational break in youth education. Further, Shepler argues that Sierra Leonean former child soldiers find themselves forced to strategically perform (or refuse to perform) as the"child soldier" Western human rights initiatives expect in order to most effectively gain access to the resources available for their social reintegration. The strategies don't always work--in some cases, Shepler finds, Western human rights initiatives do more harm than good.

While this volume focuses on the well-known case of child soldiers in Sierra Leone, it speaks to the larger concerns of childhood studies with a detailed ethnography of people struggling over the situated meaning of the categories of childhood.It offers an example of the cultural politics of childhood in action, in which the very definition of childhood is at stake and an important site of political contestation.

Between 1900 and 2000 an unprecedented effort to use state regulation to guarantee health, opportunity, and security to America's children failed to reach its goals. This account of the period reveals that the achievements envisioned were extremely ambitious and reflected entrenched, but self-contradictory, values as well as Americans' inconsistent expectations of government. Based on extensive research, the volume analyzes the period's public policies that affected children's welfare, work, education, and health.

In "African American Childhoods, " historian Wilma King presents a selection of her essays, both unpublished and published, which together provide a much-needed survey of more than three centuries of African American children's experiences. Organized chronologically, the volume uses the Civil War to divide the book into two parts: part one addresses the enslavement of children in Africa and explores how they lived in antebellum America; part two examines the issues affecting black children since the Civil War and into the twenty-first century. Topics include the impact of the social and historical construction of race on their development, the effects of violence, and the heroic efforts of African American children when subjected to racism at its worst during the civil rights movement.

Karen Orr Vered demonstrates how children's media play contributes to their acquisition of media literacy. Theorizing after-school care as intermediary space, a large-scale ethnographic study informs this theory-rich and practical discussion of children's media use beyond home and classroom.

Interpreter-mediated child interviews, by their nature, involve communication with vulnerable interviewees who need extra support for three main reasons: their age (under 18), language and procedural status (victim, witness or suspect). The CO-Minor-IN/QUEST research project (JUST/2011/JPEN/AG/2961; January 2013 - December 2014) studied the interactional dynamics of interpreter-mediated child interviews during the pre-trial phase of criminal proceedings. The project aimed to provide guidance in implementing the 2012/29/EU Directive establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime. This book sets out the key findings from a survey conducted in the project partners' countries (Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK) targeting the different professional groups involved in child interviewing. Both the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the respondents' answers is discussed in detail. The book also provides hands-on chapters, addressing concrete cases of children involved in criminal procedures who required the assistance of an interpreter to ensure their rights were fully protected.Finally, a set of recommendations is offered to professionals working in this area.

The idea of universal human rights has been perhaps the most contentious concept of the twentieth century. Originally presented as a response to the atrocities of the past and an attempt to stifle the potential ills of the future, the concept has been under heated assault by adherents to the concept of 'cultural relativism.' The basic conflict between these two extreme perspectives lies with the degree to which either should be the primary consideration when dealing with the great diversity of peoples worldwide. While proponents of universal human rights believe that a fundamental group of human rights exist and can be applied uniformly throughout the world, cultural relativists are primarily concerned with protecting and understanding, usually in functionalist terms, the diversity of cultures worldwide. This overarching conflict is the underlying focus of Cultural Relativism in the Face of the West. Billet examines the debate between the uniform application of universal human rights and cultural relativism. In so doing, Billet outlines the foundations of both schools of thought and provides a history of their evolution. The book also examines case studies that involve either women or children and are typically viewed by the West as violations of fundamental human rights.

In the context of a growing global awareness of the significance of children's rights and perspectives created by the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, this edited collection of papers explores the extent to which children's interests are finding expression in different societies in Western Europe. Its aim is to compare the ways in which social and welfare issues around childhood are being framed and realised, both within policies and legislation and through cultural practices. If, as is frequently argued, "the child is a nation's future," such a comparative project is timely, given the drive for a common European political identity.

The cult of the child performer was a significant emergence of the Victorian age. Fierce public debate and lasting legislation grew out of the conflict between a desire for juvenile display and a determination to stop exploitation. This study explores the social and artistic context of their lives and their developing professionalism as actors.

What do we as a society, and as parents in particular, owe to our children? Each chapter in "Taking Responsibility for Children" offers part of an answer to that question. Although they vary in the approaches they take and the conclusions they draw, each contributor explores some aspect of the moral obligations owed to children by their caregivers. Some focus primarily on the responsibilities of parents, while others focus on the responsibilities of society and government.

The essays reflect a mix of concern with the practical and the philosophical aspects of taking responsibility for children, addressing such topics as parental obligations, the rights and entitlements of children, the responsibility of the state, the role and nature of public education in a liberal society, the best ways to ensure adequate child protection, the licensing of parents, children's religious education, and children's health. "Taking Responsibility for Children" will be of interest to philosophers, advocates for children's interests, and those interested in public policy, especially as it relates to children and families.

Children today are growing up in a world of global media. Many have also become global citizens, through their experience of migration and transnational networks. "Global Children, Global Media" provides a comprehensive critical review of research and debate in the overlapping fields of media, globalization, migration and childhood. It also presents empirical research, using innovative visual methods, in which children's voices are featured prominently and directly. By representing these issues from the perspective of children, the book casts new light on established academic debates about cultural identity, diaspora and transnationalism, and addresses questions about social cohesion, belonging and citizenship that are of considerable concern in contemporary public and political debate. "Global Children, Global Media," now available in paperback, will provide insights both for scholars and researchers, and for educators and media practitioners who work directly with children and young people in this field.

Children today are growing up in a world of global media, in which the voices of many cultures compete for attention. Increasing numbers of children are also citizens of the globe: they live in multicultural societies, many have migrated themselves and live within active diasporic and transnational networks. The authors offer a fresh perspective on the relationships between media, globalisation and contemporary childhood.

This volume provides practitioners with clear, helpful information about the process of understanding and engaging a wide array of boys and adolescent males in counseling. It supplies case examples and covers topics including race, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural factors of boys. A practical tool for school and mental health practitioners who need to understand and respond to the developmental and special issues of boys and adolescent males, Counseling Troubled Boys creates a bridge between young men and helping professionals. The key content includes adjustment issues, strategies for establishing rapport, interventions, case studies, and suggestions for future training and research.

This book is the result of a four-year, in-depth study using social science methodology of those refugees who came as children or youths from Central Europe to the United States during the 1930s and 1940s, fleeing persecution from the National Socialist regime. This study examines their fates in their new country, their successes and tribulations.

In this collection, the contributors look at the current spread of universalizing discourses concerning young children across the globe, examining the way these discourses, which purport to describe everyone in a scientific and neutral way, actually create mechanisms through which children are divided and excluded. The contributors to this book employ post-structuralist, postcolonial, and feminist theoretical frameworks.

How does the built environment affect children - their health, their behaviour, education and development? To support them, what do we need to consider and what do we need to do? Can our surroundings foster environmental and social awareness and responsibility?
Based on Christopher Day's experiences designing schools and early childhood centres in the United States and Britain, this groundbreaking book sets out to answer these questions and to offer solutions.
Children all too often find themselves living in alien surroundings designed with the needs of adults in mind, cut off not just from the natural environment but also childhood itself. Society's reaction - to cocoon children from the outside world or to resort to drugs to control behaviour - fails to address the fundamental causes of problems which lie in the environment not the children themselves.
One of the world's leading thinkers on the impact of buildings on people, Christopher Day's insights offer new light on one of the most important issues for today's society.
* Groundbreaking study of the impact of the built environment on children's health and behaviour
* What our surroundings teach our children
* Designing environments that nourish imagination and creativity

Children live in rapidly changing times that require them to constantly adapt to new economic, social, and cultural conditions. In this book, a distinguished, interdisciplinary group of scholars explores the issues faced by children in contemporary societies, such as discrimination in school and neighborhoods, the emergence of new family forms, the availability of new communication technologies, and economic hardship, as well as the stresses associated with immigration, war, and famine. The book applies a historical, cultural, and life-course developmental framework for understanding the factors that affect how children adjust to these challenges, and offers a new perspective on how changing historical circumstances alter children's developmental outcomes. It is ideal for researchers and graduate students in developmental and educational psychology or the sociology and anthropology of childhood.