The Child as Citizen

5 big ideas 1.Contemporary Children’s *Culture. We are studying Culture therefore we are studying Representation vs Reality 2.*Contemporary Children’s Culture *Contemporary ideas come from the past 3.Contemporary Children’s Culture The Child is central to Democracy 4.The Protection & Provision of Democracy is connected to how a society “makes” its citizens (ie/ education) 5.The Protection & Provision of Democracy is connected to the participation of its citizens

Big idea #1 We are studying Culture therefore we are studying Representation vs Reality Reflecting Shaping Subverting How children are talked about How children unpack those stories The stories children are told What is culture? How does it get made “real?”

Big Idea #2 Contemporary ideas come from the past Contemporary Discourse(s) on Childhood The child as: innocent Pure Naïve A blank slate The child as: Evil Dangerous In a state of sin The Puritan Discourse The Romantic Child The myth of childhood innocence Peda-phobic teenagers Toddlers The Village The Fort A rights based approach! Policy, Civil Society, NGOs, Media UNCRCUNCRC

Big Idea #2 Contemporary ideas come from the past But how did Locke & Rousseau see “the child”? Representation tabula rasa, ungoverned, unknowing, at times wild and selfish (motivated by impulses) and yet rational Romantic, pure, naive, curious, inquisitive, and yet capable Reality

Big Idea #3 a) The Child is central to Democracy All contemporary ideas about children & childhood are rooted in historical discourse & debates about: citizenship & democracy Before “childhood” even existed, the period of life when one was a child was used as a metaphor for agency, activism, & social justice. Both Locke & Rousseau use this metaphor to argue against absolute monarchy & for what we now call democracy

Big Idea #3 a) The Child is central to Democracy But what is Democracy or/ Who Gets to Graduate? Democracy is both economic & political Democracy requires Capitalism Democracy requires choice & voice (limited) The Pillars of a Democratic Society – Freedom of Press – Freedom of Information – Freedom of speech/expression – Access to information

Big Idea #4 The Protection & Provision of Democracy is connected to how a society “makes” its citizens (ie/ education) Locke Rousseau Dewey Marcuse argue that the role of education is to help to make children/students: Active Knowledgeable Critical Participating Citizens Here’s the Problem Primary Space 2nd Space For Democracy & Voice we require a)A de-politicization of ed (Marcuse) b)Third Spaces for participation (the home of CCC)

Big Idea #5 The Protection & Provision of Democracy is connected to the participation of its citizens Here’s the Problem 1.Children are Silenced Citizens 2.Denied voice through systemic poverty THIS IS A RIGHTS BASED APPROACH! 3.Represented as weak, innocent, in need of protection or unable/not capable 4.And kept out of the decision making process when the decisions directly effect their lives

So How do we Fix this? Recognize children as: HEROES IN HISTORY (Davis, 2010) CITIZENS IN THEORY & ACTION (O’Neil, 2010) WRITERS OF THIER OWN EXPERIENCE (Buckingham, 2010)

Freire, Doctorow & the UNCRC Can help! Provide a clear example of the connection between the local & global (building on Marcuse) Provide examples of empowered children as activists Demonstrate the importance that technology & third spaces can play in this activism Provide a vocabulary to explain the marginalization of youth Provide a framework for activism to address the inequity Highlight why voice (ie/ lowering the voting or naming the word) is essential to protection of freedom & global children’s rights