Unit information: Children in Society II: Children and Contemporary Society in 2015/16

Unit name	Children in Society II: Children and Contemporary Society
Unit code	SOWK10002
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Aghtaie
Open unit status	Open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit will critically analyse the various international perspectives on children and young people’s (CYP) place in contemporary society. These perspectives will be examined through reference to theoretical debates on various substantive topics including: concepts of childhood; parenting; children’s rights; CYPs access to their rights; family policies; the impact of global poverty; models of education; health, environment and risk in relation to CYP; power, punishment and crime; young people and violence; and input from the NSPCC.

There will be a particular emphasis on children’s rights on a local, national and international level. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and children’s rights and welfare under UK law will be examined in addition to looking at policies, laws and practices in the European and wider context.

Aims:

• To consider the diverse nature of childrens experiences and place in society
• To consider contemporary debates about childrens needs, rights and responsibilities.
• To consider the relationship between the state, parents and CYP;
• To consider the ways in which differing perspectives on childhood are reflected in policy, allocation of resources and responsibilities between parents and children.

After successful completion of the unit, the student will be able to demonstrate:

• an understanding of the diversity in children and young people’s lives and experiences,
• an awareness of the main contemporary theories and debates on childrens rights, needs and responsibilities,
• an ability to draw on interdisciplinary knowledge to analyse some of the ways in which differing perspectives on childhood will be reflected in state policies and allocation of resources and in approaches to research and theory in this area.

There will be an emphasis throughout on childrens rights

Intended Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of the unit, the student will be able to demonstrate:

• an understanding of the diversity in children’s lives and experiences,

• an awareness of the main contemporary theories and debates on children’s rights, needs and responsibilities,

• an ability to draw on interdisciplinary knowledge to analyse some of the ways in which differing perspectives on childhood will be reflected in state policies and allocation of resources and in approaches to research and theory in this area.

There will be an emphasis throughout on children’s rights

Teaching Information

Lectures and classes. Group investigation and presentation of an assigned topic. Group activities/ exercises.

Assessment Information

Formative assessment is by:

(a) a seminar presentation of a small group project which has been jointly researched, and

(b) an essay of not more than 2,500 words on a topic chosen from a list of options.

Summative assessment is by 3 hour unseen examination

Reading and References

Children’s Rights Alliance for England (2013) State of Children’s Rights in England, London: CRAE, available at http://www.crae.org.uk/publications-resources/state-of-childrens-rights-in-england-2013/

Freeman, M. (2011) ‘Children’s Rights as Human Rights: Reading the UNCRC’, in J. Qvortrup, W. Corsaro and M.S. Honig (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Childhood Studies, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp377-393

James, A. and James, A. (2008) Key Concepts in Childhood Studies. London:Sage. [Q767.9 JAM]

Jones, P. & Welch, S. (2010) Rethinking Children’s Rights: Attitudes in Contemporary Society, London: Continuum

Kehily, M. (Ed.) (2004) An Introduction to Childhood Studies. Maidenhead: Open University Press. [HQ767.9 INT]

Maynard, T. and Thomas, N. (Eds.) (2009) An Introduction to Early Childhood Studies (2nd Edition). London: Sage

Montgomery, H. (2010) ‘The Rights of the Child. Rightfully Mine!’, in D. Kassem, L. Murphy and E. Taylor (eds) Key Issues in Childhood and Youth Studies, London; Routledge, pp149-158,

Qvortrup, J. et al. (2011) The Palgrave Handbook of Childhood Studies. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Key Websites

“Article 12”: http://www.article12.org/>

Children are Unbeatable Alliance: www.childrenareunbeatable.org.uk

Children’s Rights Alliance http://www.crae.org.uk/>

International Bureau for Children’s Rights http://ibcr.org/eng/>

NSPCC http://www.nspcc.org.uk/

Oxfam http://www.oxfam.org>

Save the Children http://www.savethechildren.org

UNICEF www.unicef.org