The politics of belonging in early childhood contexts
A comprehensive picture, critical factors and policy recommendations
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6426317 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Eva Johansson (0000-0001-6695-7989, University of Stavanger, corresponding author), Anette Emilson (0000-0001-7291-9292, Kristianstad University), Jóhanna Einarsdóttir (0000-0002-0765-909X, University of Iceland), Anna‐maija Puroila (0000-0003-4199-6855, University of Oulu), Barbara Piškur (0000-0002-5788-958X, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 9-24 |
| Publication date | 2024-08-14 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Global Studies of Childhood (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2043-6106 • E-ISSN: 2043-6106 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/20436106241260079 |
| OpenAlex | W4401581581 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 52 |
This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of belonging in early educational institutions based on key findings developed within the international project Politics of belonging: promoting children’s inclusion in educational settings across border (85644). The research questions are: What are the main empirical and theoretical contributions to the understanding of belonging in early childhood institutions? and What kinds of critical factors regarding belonging can be identified? This study applies Yuval-Davies’ theory about the politics of belonging. The data consists of key findings from 28 publications from the aforementioned project. Theoretically, the project provides a novel perspective regarding processes related to belonging in early educational institutions. Such processes involve transgressing, defending and defining borders dictating who is inside or outside these communities. Empirically, the project contributes knowledge about how belonging is performed in practice. Belonging manifests as a joint enterprise involving children, educators, parents and policymakers; it is also multifaceted and powerladen. This study delineates critical elements of children’s belonging. On a micro level, these elements require specific forms of agency amongst children and specific forms of responsibility amongst educators, which exert consequences on a macro level. The discussion concludes with five recommendations regarding policy and practice
Agency (philosophy · Critical theory · Developmental psychology · Early childhood · Early childhood education · Inclusion (mineral · Pedagogy · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Structure and agency · Children's Rights and Participation · Early Childhood Education and Development · Family and Disability Support Research · Psychology
Democracy, caring and competence
Promoting Diversity and Belonging
Educators’ interpretations of children’s belonging across borders
Methodological and ethical challenges in cross-language qualitative research
Children’s perspectives about belonging in educational settings in five European countries
Belonging and participation as portrayed in the curriculum guidelines of five European countries
The Routledge International Handbook of Young Children’s Rights
The politics of belonging intersectional contestations
Belonging as a force of agency
Belonging and language
Understanding a child’s conceptualisation of well-being through an exploration of happiness
Supporting inclusion in early childhood settings
Belonging and the politics of belonging
Standpoint theory, situated knowledge and the situated imagination
Social justice storytelling and young children's active citizenship
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |