Product Description

BRAND NEW SERIES – CHILDHOOD

Childhood is a brand new series of textbooks, co–published with The Open University which represents a coherent and integrated treatment of a wide range of topics and approaches, which will have a relevance to courses in childhood studies; sociology; psychology; anthropology and cultural studies as well as education and social policy.

Each volume contains original illustrations, case studies and examples collected as part of OU/BBC filming in the USA, Bangladesh and South Africa.

The third volume, Children′s Cultural Worlds looks at the distinctiveness of children′s cultural worlds by exploring the everyday activities of young children through to teenagers. Topics include friendships and the significance of play, how children use language to construct relationships and identities, the role of print literature, other media and information technology in children′s lives, and their growing power as consumers.

Features of each volume include:


∗ An interactive text
∗ Carefully–selected case studies and readings
∗ Attractive layout and colour design throughout
∗ A high level of illustration
∗ Clear and ′student–friendly′ style

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #86119 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 344 pages

Review
"…the lay–out, illustrations, set–up and content was very professional and interesting for everyone studying children and childhood today." (International Journal of Adolescent Medicine & Health, No.15, 2003)

"...offers a multi–faceted look at cultural experiences during childhood..." (Children & Society, Vol 19 (3) June 2005)

Review
"…the lay–out, illustrations, set–up and content was very professional and interesting for everyone studying children and childhood today." (International Journal of Adolescent Medicine & Health, No.15, 2003)

"...offers a multi–faceted look at cultural experiences during childhood..." (Children & Society, Vol 19 (3) June 2005)

From the Back Cover
This book is the third of four which form part of the Open University course, U212, Childhood.  Together they provide an undergraduate–level introduction to the interdisciplinary field of childhood and youth studies, and a framework for analyzing contemporary policy and practice in, for instance, education, health and social work.

Childhood is now a global issue, forcing a reconsideration of conventional approaches to study.  Childhood is also a very personal issue for each and every one of us – scholars, policy–makers, parents and children.

The books encourage the reader′s active involvement, especially through the use of activities.  They include children′s and parents′ voices as well academic discussion of childhood in diverse societies and points in history.  Selected readings accompany the chapters to present additional perspectives.

Children′s Cultural Worlds looks at the distinctiveness of children′s worlds by exploring their everyday activities, an exploration that ranges from young children to teenagers.  Topics include: friendship and the significance of play; how children use language to construct rela tionships and identities; the role of print literature, other media, and information and communications technology in children′s lives; youth cultures; and children′s growing signficance as consumers.

Customer Reviews

Children's cultual worlds
This is the third of four books by Wiley in collaboration with the Open University based on a course on childhood. This volume is edited by Mary Jane Kehily, lecturer in Childhood Studies, and Joan Swann, senior lecturer at the Centre for Language and Communications, both the Open University.
This volume is concerned with culture and childhood divided into seven chapters: play, friendships, language, literature, multimedia, youth culture, consumption and creativity.
This is a trip into folklore tradition and the work of Peter and Iona Opie, who during the 1950s set out to identify and document the traditions, play and pursuits of British school children. A journey of friendship, the use of the cellular phone or the web by the children and youth of today. This is also nostalgia from the books for children over the last 200 years with wonderful illustrations bringing back memories from our own childhood books with folk and fairy tales that are eternal.
The last chapter is concerned with children as consumers and the "child market", where we are talking about billions of dollars and children have therefore in the last decade or so, become an important and very influential consumer market. Comic books which took off in the 1940s with the creation of Superman has been taken somewhat over by magazines, video-games and music. Some interesting research on the gender differences, age and class-cultural aspects are presented.
Again, as with the first two volumes, the lay-out, illustrations, set-up and content was very professional and interesting for everone studying children and childhood today.