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‘It’s the way they do it’: Expressions of Agency in Child–Adult Relations at Home and School
Author(s) -
Bjerke Håvard
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
children and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0860
pISSN - 0951-0605
DOI - 10.1111/j.1099-0860.2009.00266.x
Subject(s) - agency (philosophy) , perspective (graphical) , context (archaeology) , independence (probability theory) , developmental psychology , psychology , dignity , sociology , social psychology , political science , social science , geography , statistics , mathematics , artificial intelligence , computer science , archaeology , law
This article examines children's (8–9 years) and young people’s (14–15 years) views about their own participation in decision‐making processes with adults, within the context of home and school in Norway. A difference‐centred theoretical perspective is used to identify children’s participation as expressions of agency embedded in intricate child–adult relations, in which children and adults are positioned differently. It is argued that children not necessarily ask for increased independence from adults, but rather to be recognised as ‘differently equal’ partners in shared decision‐making processes, where children are being treated with dignity and respect as valuable persons.