Diversity and Difference in Early Childhood Education: N/a

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McGraw-Hill Companies,Incorporated, 2006 - Education - 207 pages
Early childhood professionals are often required to work with children and families from a range of diverse backgrounds. This book goes beyond simplistic definitions of diversity, encouraging a much broader understanding and helping early childhood educators develop a critical disposition towards assumptions about children and childhood in relation to diversity, difference and social justice.

As well as drawing on research, the book gives an overview of relevant contemporary social theories, including poststructuralism, cultural studies, postcolonialism, feminist perspectives and queer theory. Each chapter interrogates practice and explores opportunities and strategies for creating a more equitable environment. The book covers a number of issues impacting on children’s lives, including globalization, new racisms, immigration, refugees, homophobia, heterosexism and constructions of childhood. Each chapter provides an overview of the area of discussion, a focus on the implications for practice, and recommended readings.

Providing insight into how social justice practices in early childhood can make a real difference in the lives of children and their families, this is key reading for early childhood professionals, students and researchers.

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Contents

Doing feminist poststructuralist theory with early childhood
24
44
29
Conclusion
42
Copyright

10 other sections not shown

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About the author (2006)

Kerry H. Robinson is a senior lecturer in sociology, cultural diversity and social justice education in the School of Education at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. She has published widely in the fields of the sociology of childhoods, gender, sexuality and how they are played out in education contexts.

Criss Jones Díaz is a lecturer in cultural diversity, languages education and equity issues in the School of Education at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. Drawing on critical and cultural studies, she has published widely in the areas of bilingual education, literacies and identity negotiation in contexts of diversity and difference.

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