Abstract
‘Top-down’ definitions of children’s well-being, shaped by technical and ‘expert’-led methods, have been questioned in recent years from a variety of sources. For instance, the quantitative methods in this anthology have developed their indicators and measurements with reference to the Childhood Studies approach and have strived to place their frameworks within terms that reflect the lifeworlds of children. However, if Childhood Studies is to progress and challenge all forms of knowledge relating to children’s well-being, there needs to be a more overt move into the political arena. This chapter discusses and argues for the importance of juxtaposing Childhood Studies and a ‘feminist ethic of care’. It does so by briefly outlining the two approaches and the tensions that exist between them, before offering some scenarios in which such a fusion may take place as well as some ways forward.
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Cockburn, T. (2011). Children, the Feminist Ethic of Care and Childhood Studies: Is This the Way to the Good Life?. In: Andresen, S., Diehm, I., Sander, U., Ziegler, H. (eds) Children and the Good Life. Children¿s Well-Being: Indicators and Research, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9219-9_3
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