Children’s geographies

Timetable

Dates of classes will be announced later.

Module aim (aims)

During this course, students will participate in an international project conducted jointly with students from Bangladesh. Working in groups, we will discuss how culture, local conditions, and daily practices shape the places that are significant to young people. You will have the opportunity to share your childhood memories and experiences, which will help compare the spaces of childhood—past and present—across several countries. These discussions will allow you to re-examine your perceptions of another country, identify potential stereotypes, and explore the similarities and differences between children's experiences in diverse cultural contexts.

At the end of the course, you will prepare a summary of your work in a format of your choice—such as a presentation, poster, report, artwork, or video.

Participation in the project will conclude with the awarding of certificates.

 

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

English language skills at a level enabling participation in discussions and reading the proposed literature.

Syllabus

Introduction, task explanation, ice-breaking

Familiarization with children’s geographies

Creating images and descriptions of childhood spaces and places - part 1 (Participants reflect on the spaces of their own childhoods and compare them with the spaces and opportunities available to children in their countries today.)

Creating images and descriptions of childhood spaces and places - part 2 (First, the participants create a vision of childhood spaces in the other country. Next, they present the results of their work to people from abroad. Following consultations, they focus on issues of cultural differences and potential stereotypes.)

Identifying Shared Dimensions of Childhood Spaces (Identification and discussion of shared elements of childhood spaces across different cultural contexts, highlighting similar needs, spatial practices, and the meanings ascribed to places.)

Summary of the course

Reading list

Aitken S. C., 2018, Children's geographies: Tracing the evolution and involution of a concept. Geographical Review, 108(1), 3-23. https://doi.org/10.1111/gere.12289

Holloway S. L., Valentine, G., 2004, Children's geographies and the new social studies of childhood. In Children's Geographies (s. 1-22). Routledge. eBook ISBN9780203017524

Holloway, S. L., & Valentine, G. (Eds.). (2004). Children's geographies: Playing, living, learning. Routledge.

Matthews H., 1995, Living on the edge: children as ‘outsiders’. Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie, 86(5), 456-466. Manchester University Press. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9663.1995.tb01867.x

Matthews H., 1998, The geography of children: Some ethical and methodological considerations for project and dissertation work. Journal of geography in higher education, 22(3), 311-324. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098269885723

Yarwood R., Tyrrell N., 2012, Why children's geographies?. Geography, 97(3), 123-128. https://doi.org/10.1080/00167487.2012.12094350

Van Blerk, L., & Kesby, M. (Eds.). (2013). Doing children’s geographies: Methodological issues in research with young people. Routledge.

Christensen, P., & James, A. (Eds.). (2008). Research with children: Perspectives and practices.

Freeman C., 2020, Twenty-five years of children's geographies: a planner's perspective. Children's Geographies, 18(1), 110-121. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1598547