Generating alternative discourses of childhood as a resource for educational policy making
Lead Research Organisation:
Manchester Metropolitan University
Department Name: Faculty of Education
Abstract
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Organisations
- Manchester Metropolitan University (Lead Research Organisation)
- Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (Collaboration)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- Oldham Council (Collaboration)
- MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Bolton Council (Collaboration)
- Manchester Art Gallery (Collaboration)
- Birkbeck, University of London (Project Partner)
- Victoria and Albert Museum (Project Partner)
- University of Sheffield (Project Partner)
- University of Salford (Project Partner)
Publications
Holmes R
(2012)
A Fantastic Decomposition Unsettling the Fury of Having to Wait
in Qualitative Inquiry
Holmes R
(2013)
Limitless provocations of the 'safe', 'secure' and 'healthy' child
in International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education
Holmes R
(2013)
Flesh, Wax, Horse Skin, and Hair The Many Intensities of Data
in Cultural Studies ? Critical Methodologies
Jones L
(2011)
Children and objects: affection and infection
in Early Years
| Description | Advances in interdisciplinary qualitative research Critical interdisciplinary research The seminar series opened up opportunities to trial new approaches to interdisciplinary qualitative research, offering spaces to engage differently with empirical materials and redevelop tools for analysis. The series caused useful disturbances to the theoretical and methodological tranquility of traditionally discrete disciplines and the conventional theory/practice divide. Rethinking childhood and education The seminar series created a critical forum to discuss ways to engage with children. For example, new collaborations with the Leader of Stockport Family Services, Principal Manager for Learning at Manchester City Galleries and Director of Manchester Museum continue to bring together the theoretical and empirical landscapes of early childhood across the arts, education, social care and health. New research capacity through interdisciplinary networks Cross-research institute working Interdisciplinary research capacity has been developed, e.g. across Manchester Metropolitan University's (MMU) Research Institutes in Education, Health and Social Change and Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design; and with international partners in Oslo and Akershus University, Norway (Dr Otterstad); Oulu University, Finland (Dr Rautio); Stockholm University, Sweden (Professor Lenz Taguchi); and Deakin University, Australia (Professor Dixon). Multi-faculty networking New networks of arts and social science academics have been established from MMU, the University of Sheffield (Dr Williams), University of Salford (Dr Ingelson), University of Chester (Professor Garrett) and the University of West England (Dr Eke). These academics educate UG and PG students alongside practitioners in their field. The network is looking how cross-professional working might impact practice via the facilitation of seminars; workshops; postgraduate research programmes; funding opportunities. |
| Exploitation Route | Cross-disciplinary academics with an interest in childhood The Special Journal Issue of Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education reached a wide social science readership with an interest in childhood. Jones' invitations to Norway 2012 and Finland 2012 demonstrated impact on those academics who extended the invites, namely Kristiina Brunila, Pauliina Rautio, Hans Jørgen Braathe and Ann Merete Otterstad. Academics with an interest in developing innovative, interdisciplinary methodologies The range of academic papers published and conference presentations made, a range of international and interdisciplinary conference attendees and journal article readers have engaged with this methodological work. Invitations to seminars and other events dedicated to methodological innovation, for example the 'Developing feminist post-constructivist qualitative research methodologies' symposium event, Stockholm 2013 demonstrated impact on those academics who extended the invites, namely Professor Hillevi Lenz Taguchi and Dr Anna Palmer. Delegates at Summer Institute in Qualitative Research (SIQR 2011, 2015, 2017) The 'Curiosity and Classification: Objects as Incitements to Theory' (July 2011) and Provocations, Improvisations: Encounters between Art and Qualitative Research', (July 2013) exhibitions are open to all delegates who attended SIQR, which typically has 150 delegates, from 25 countries (including India, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and mainland Europe). All these dissemination and impact events suggested a thirst for us to share our findings and discuss ways this interdisciplinary work was already and could further be put to use by others nationally and internationally. |
| Sectors | Education |
| Description | Chattering Nineteen to the Dozen (CND) |
| Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Bradford Metropolitan District Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2013 |
| End | 04/2013 |
| Description | Object lessons: encouraging children's language through actively engaging with museum and art gallery artifacts |
| Amount | £2,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Manchester Art Gallery |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2013 |
| End | 01/2014 |
| Description | A Research-Informed, Cross-professional Collaboration |
| Organisation | Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Growing out of the ESRC Seminar Series, a creative collaboration between the Education and Social Research Institute, two other MMU Research Institutes and senior representatives / practitioners from children?s services in Stockport LA has been established to work on a further interdisciplinary activities. This collaboration is informed by our commitment to innovative interdisciplinary and cross-professional combinations as effective means to interrogate the intricacies of established cultures around childhood. Our intention is to support cross-professional challenges in the field, opening up the deep-seated, professionally-bound familiarity and taken-for-granted knowledge that surrounds childhood, by contributing to the development of new LA practices, redrawing practitioners' ?cognitive maps? and knowledge bases underlying individual professions. |
| Start Year | 2013 |
| Description | A Research-Informed, Inter-disciplinary Education, Arts and Health Collaboration |
| Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Department | Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Growing out of the ESRC Seminar Series, a creative collaboration between MMU'S Education and Social Research Institute, the Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design and the Research Institute of Health and Social Care has been established to work on a further interdisciplinary activities, for example with senior representatives / practitioners from children?s services in Stockport. This academic, cross-faculty working group is informed by our commitment to innovative combinations across, for example the academic fields of education, art, visual anthropology, public health, community practice and social change as effective means to interrogate the intricacies of established cultures around childhood. With firm commitments across MMU faculties, this academic interdisciplinarity will support a range of future projects, bidding opportunities, CPD and other teaching work challenging the deep-seated, professionally-bound familiarity that surrounds childhood and contributing to the development of practices, ?cognitive maps? and knowledge bases underlying individual professions. |
| Start Year | 2013 |
| Description | A Research-Informed, Inter-disciplinary Education, Arts and Health Collaboration |
| Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Department | Research Institute of Health and Social Care (RIHSC) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Growing out of the ESRC Seminar Series, a creative collaboration between MMU'S Education and Social Research Institute, the Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design and the Research Institute of Health and Social Care has been established to work on a further interdisciplinary activities, for example with senior representatives / practitioners from children?s services in Stockport. This academic, cross-faculty working group is informed by our commitment to innovative combinations across, for example the academic fields of education, art, visual anthropology, public health, community practice and social change as effective means to interrogate the intricacies of established cultures around childhood. With firm commitments across MMU faculties, this academic interdisciplinarity will support a range of future projects, bidding opportunities, CPD and other teaching work challenging the deep-seated, professionally-bound familiarity that surrounds childhood and contributing to the development of practices, ?cognitive maps? and knowledge bases underlying individual professions. |
| Start Year | 2013 |
| Description | Greater Manchester Early Years Research Partnership |
| Organisation | Bolton Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | In October 2012 we established a research partnership between: the Education and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), and key stakeholders in Greater Manchester Local Authorities, Children?s Services and Museums and Galleries. Representatives from Oldham Council; Manchester Council; Bolton Council; Manchester Art Gallery; and The Manchester Museum joined members of ESRI are engaged in communication about ways to work in partnership given the changing economic and political climate. With all public sector organisations being asked to deliver more with less, identify impact, and develop partnerships across the public sector, private sector, and the voluntary, not-for-profit ?third sector?, the time is opportune to establish this working group in order to think through what a local research partnership might involve. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Greater Manchester Early Years Research Partnership |
| Organisation | Manchester Art Gallery |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | In October 2012 we established a research partnership between: the Education and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), and key stakeholders in Greater Manchester Local Authorities, Children?s Services and Museums and Galleries. Representatives from Oldham Council; Manchester Council; Bolton Council; Manchester Art Gallery; and The Manchester Museum joined members of ESRI are engaged in communication about ways to work in partnership given the changing economic and political climate. With all public sector organisations being asked to deliver more with less, identify impact, and develop partnerships across the public sector, private sector, and the voluntary, not-for-profit ?third sector?, the time is opportune to establish this working group in order to think through what a local research partnership might involve. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Greater Manchester Early Years Research Partnership |
| Organisation | Oldham Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | In October 2012 we established a research partnership between: the Education and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), and key stakeholders in Greater Manchester Local Authorities, Children?s Services and Museums and Galleries. Representatives from Oldham Council; Manchester Council; Bolton Council; Manchester Art Gallery; and The Manchester Museum joined members of ESRI are engaged in communication about ways to work in partnership given the changing economic and political climate. With all public sector organisations being asked to deliver more with less, identify impact, and develop partnerships across the public sector, private sector, and the voluntary, not-for-profit ?third sector?, the time is opportune to establish this working group in order to think through what a local research partnership might involve. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Greater Manchester Early Years Research Partnership |
| Organisation | University of Manchester |
| Department | Manchester Museum |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | In October 2012 we established a research partnership between: the Education and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), and key stakeholders in Greater Manchester Local Authorities, Children?s Services and Museums and Galleries. Representatives from Oldham Council; Manchester Council; Bolton Council; Manchester Art Gallery; and The Manchester Museum joined members of ESRI are engaged in communication about ways to work in partnership given the changing economic and political climate. With all public sector organisations being asked to deliver more with less, identify impact, and develop partnerships across the public sector, private sector, and the voluntary, not-for-profit ?third sector?, the time is opportune to establish this working group in order to think through what a local research partnership might involve. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | International Centre for the Arts and Cultures of Childhood |
| Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Department | Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The main objective of this collaboration is to bring the study and practices of the arts and cultural inquiry into productive encounter with the study and practices of cultures of childhood, and thereby to open up new questions and possibilities for thinking, research and writing. By drawing together a broad range of disciplinary perspectives the collaboration will allow for productive interplay between each where academics, educationalists and artists will force the founding assumptions and prevailing discourses that frame their otherwise introspective endeavours. The collaboration seeks to provide a forum that moves beyond a general concern with representation and identity to an engagement with epistemological, ethical and political questions. |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | Exploring the Construction of Childhood Distress Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This seminar day offered an opportunity to reflect on the idea and the images underpinning childhood distress. The aim throughout was the opening up of a critically minded space within which to consider how childhood distress may be considered, understood and engaged with. That is, the sessions throughout the day encouraged the suspension of existing knowledge to create the establishment of a critical mindset which fosters the maintenance of an unwavering sense of wonder and curiosity. Network between academics and practitioners around young children and behaviour was established. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012 |
| URL | http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.247504!/file/22ndMarchprogramme.pdf |
| Description | Exploring the Construction of Childhood Distress Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | As a result of partnerships formed during the ESRC Seminar Series, we were invited to contribute to this interdisciplinary seminar / workshop event. The workshop intended to offer an opportunity to reflect on the idea and the images underpinning childhood distress. The aim throughout was the opening up of a critically minded interdisciplinary space within which to consider how childhood distress may be considered, understood and engaged with. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Modern British Childhood 1948-2012 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Initiated and curated by one of the key partners in the Seminar Series, 'Modern British Childhood 1948 - 2012' was an exhibition at the V&A Museum of Childhood exploring the transformation of childhood in Britain during the tumultuous 64 years between the London Olympic Games of 1948 and 2012. From a pair of 1950s children's NHS prescription glasses to the 2005 Teddy mobile phone designed for the under 5s, the exhibition gathered together objects - exceptional or everyday, public or private, familiar or unfamiliar - that dramatise the huge changes that have occurred in children's lives. Modern British Childhood included artworks, clothing, toys, books, childcare items, television programmes, film and photography. It traced the transformation of childhood through education, health, family, entertainment, fashion and play, as well as consider the impact of politics and the economy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Naughty Children Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | As a result of partnerships formed during the ESRC Seminar Series, we were invited to contribute to this interdisciplinary seminar / workshop event. The aim was to explore the ways in which the idea of 'naughty children' works as a social and cultural motif in particular health, social care and education settings and to consider the consequences that this has for children themselves. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Provocations, Improvisations: Encounters Between Art and Qualitative Research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Provocations, improvisations: encounters between art and qualitative research will take place on Wednesday 24th July 2013 (12.30 - 5.30pm). It will be a series of provocative events involving artists, musicians, researchers, and art theorists. The event develops the interdisciplinary and collaborative work initiated as part of the ESRC Seminar Series. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | The Medicalisation of childhood: Perspectives on autism |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This seminar/workshop invited a broad and interdisciplinary practitioner, student and academic audience. The day focused on the limitations of psychiatric diagnosis; whether 'autism' is about individuals or interactions; and the social world of Autism' - challenging the myth of 'extreme autistic aloneness'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |