Studying childhood, children, and their rights: The challenge of interdisciplinarity

Abstract

This article proposes an epistemological reflection on the multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary fields of Childhood and Children's Rights Studies. The theoretical backgrounds underlying the claims for interactions between disciplines in these specific fields are investigated, exploring their multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary nature(s). Between specificities, similarities, and complementarities, possibilities of dialogue and integration within and beyond the fields are explored, to identify the conditions for interdisciplinary work on the complex issues of childhood, children, and their rights.

The Politics of undocumented migrant childhoods: agency, rights, vulnerability

“…The key political issues in relation to undocumented migrant childhoods that I have identified through my researchagency, rights and vulnerability-can arguably be positioned where all three fields overlap. Within all three fields, there is an ongoing discussion about how they should be opened up for interdisciplinary work and how key concepts within the fields need to be reconsidered (Alanen et al, 2018;Dahinden, 2016;Moody & Darbellay, 2019).…”

An Analysis of Child and Youth Advocacy in 21st Century Contemporary Contexts

“…The shift in discourses surrounding children, childhood and youth since the 20 th century has developed, in part, as a result of policy and advocacy work pertaining to children and youth that has been carried out by NGOs, advocates, activists and lawyers, along with the development of legal instruments such as the CRC, aimed at promoting and implementing child and youth rights (Quennerstedt, 2013). Academic fields of study also began to focus on exploring and researching areas relevant to children and youth and provided new understandings of childhood (Reynaert et al, 2009;Moody & Darbellay, 2019;Quennerstedt, 2013;Verhellen, 1998). These understandings of childhood have converged and diverged since the 20 th century and are unpacked below to highlight how various conceptions of childhood that are still evident in many organizations provide services to children and youth.…”

“…The emerging field of CRS has continued to develop since the late 20 th and beginning of the 21 st century (Quennerstedt, 2013). Evolving theoretical frameworks, research aims, methods and approaches to exploring children's rights have contributed to a diverse body of knowledge that has been published within academic literature displayed in handbooks, journals, editorials (Moody & Darbellay, 2019;Quennerstedt, 2013) as well as conference proceedings. For instance, The Routledge Handbook of Children's Rights Studies (Vandenhole et al, 2015) and in particular, the Introduction: A Critical Approach to Children's Rights (Reynaert et al, 2015) critically reflects on the development of the field.…”

“…It is evident through children's rights degree programs and literature that has been published about CRS, that CRS stems largely from the legal studies discipline. The field of CRS has more recently become rooted in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding children's rights and childhood (Alanen, 2012;Moody & Darbellay, 2019;Reynaert et al, 2015).…”

“…While these understandings did not evolve solely from the CRM, the CRM did play a significant role in emphasizing the discourses surrounding children and childhood (Reynaert et al, 2009) and has done so with a focus on policy, practice, implementation, and monitoring of the CRC. Childhood discourses were also informed by the 'new sociology of childhood' (Freeman, 1998;James et al, 2002;Mayall, 2000, Reynaert et al, 2009Thorne, 2009;Vandenbroeck & Bouverne-De Bie, 2006) and CS as activities and research surrounding children and childhood unfolded at the same time the CRM developed (Alanen, 2010;Freeman, 1998;Moody & Darbellay, 2019;Reynaert et al, 2015;Qvortrup et al, 2009). Yet, the CRM and CS provide different perspectives about the child.…”