Childhood and Society

Firmly established as a classic text in the sociological study of childhood, the new edition of this core textbook continues to provide students with an authoritative and accessible overview of competing theoretical positions and the ways in which they inform key substantive themes, including education, work, identity and agency. The study of childhood has taken on an increasingly global focus in recent years, honing in on how issues of rights, protection and development shape the lives of children and those around them at political, social and institutional levels across the world. As such, this book guides students through the theories and research on childhood in both local and global contexts, illustrating how a study of childhood can inform sociological thinking on social crises, changes and social problems such as globalisation, criminality and disruption of the social order.

Written for students exploring childhood from a sociological perspective, this is the essential introduction to the topic.