The Institutionalisation of 'TongNian' and 'childhood' in China and Britain: Exploring Cautious Comparisons. (16th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ribbens McCarthy, Jane; Guo, Yu; Phoenix, Ann; Xu, Xiaoli; Knight, Abigail
• Is Part Of: Children & society. Volume 31:Number 1(2017:Jan.)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 12
• Publication Date: 2016-06-16
• Subjects: global childhood -- China -- Britain -- children -- comparative policy; Children -- Care and hygiene -- Periodicals; Child welfare -- Periodicals; Child welfare -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Children -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; Child development -- Periodicals; 362.70941
• DOI: 10.1111/chso.12166
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0951-0605

Abstract

Abstract : This article engages with the question of how theorisation of the social construction of childhood can be applied across cultural contexts, taking China and Britain as examples. The paper draws on collaborative dialogue between scholars from the People's Republic of China and Britain, and literatures from both Anglophone and Mandarin sources. It takes forward emergent work on theorising childhood from diverse global perspectives by focusing on the institutionalisation of childhood in these countries, with particular reference to language, conceptualisation and legal frameworks relating to chronological age.