This module aims to raise students’ awareness of current international economic, political and social trends, and how they impact on children in the developing world. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate international policy and frameworks in relation to global development goals and the possible impacts that these might have on children’s lives. Students will be introduced to some key concepts from anthropology, cultural psychology and post-colonial theory which inform international perspectives on childhood and they will be encouraged to identify and challenge Western assumptions about childhood. The module will develop students’ understanding of broad political, economic, social and health issues in relation to childhoods worldwide.

General:

Clark, M & Tucker, S (2010) Early Childhoods in a Changing World. Stoke-on-Trent. Trentham Books

Edwards, M (2015) Global Childhoods. Northwich. Critical Publishing

Morrison, H (2012) A Global History of Childhood Reader. Abingdon. Routledge

Papatheodorou, T & Moyles, J (2012) Cross Cultural Perspectives on Early Childhood. London. Sage

Penn, H (2005) Unequal Childhoods. Young Children’s Lives in Poor Countries. Abingdon. Routledge

Smith, R (2010) A Universal Child. Basingstoke. Palgrave MacMillan

Wells, K (2015) Childhood in a Global Perspective. Cambridge. Polity Press

University teaching sessions
Tutorials
University library
Materials and Links on Blackboard

1. Understand broad political, commercial, social and health issues relevant to international perspectives on childhood.
Knowledge and Understanding, Learning

2. Critically analyse how culturally diverse child rearing strategies seek to support children’s needs. Learning, Knowledge and Understanding, Analysis

3. Critically reflect upon global inequalities within and between nations and how these shape childhood experiences.
Knowledge and Understanding, Analysis, Reflection

4. Critically evaluate the impact of international organisations and aid agencies on global child health and welfare.
Learning, Application

The learning strategies will require students to commit 300 learning hours of which 72 hours will consist of contact time. The teaching strategies will employ a range of methods, including lectures, presentations, tutorials, interactive workshops and peer group research and discussion which will allow students to share ideas and will encourage reflection, evaluation and analysis. Students will be encouraged to engage with learning technologies including the use of Blackboard.

There will be ONE stage to this assessment:

1. A written report on the impact of international policies, organisations and aid agencies on child health and welfare in one country or region. (3000 words) (LO’s 1,2,3,4) (100% weighting)

This module aims to raise awareness of current international economic, political and social trends, and how they impact on children in the developing world. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate international policy and frameworks in relation to global development goals and the possible impacts that these might have on children’s lives. Students will be introduced to some key concepts from anthropology, cultural psychology and post-colonial theory which inform international perspectives on childhood and they will be encouraged to identify and challenge Western assumptions about childhood. The module will develop students’ understanding of broad political, economic, social and health issues in relation to childhoods worldwide.