Advocacy and Activism in Early Childhood
Item
Title
Advocacy and Activism in Early Childhood
Abstract/Description
The literature on advocacy and activism in early childhood spans across multiple disciplines including those related to the care, development, and education of children from birth to eight years of age. Advocacy can be defined as the proactive promotion or awareness-raising of a cause or barriers (e.g., barriers to participation, inclusion, and equity). Advocacy aims to influence change in ways of thinking, being, and doing across micro- to macro- level contexts (for example, within family-educator relationships and at the policy level). This literature overlaps with scholarship on activism. However, there are also many tensions and conceptual differences in understandings of advocacy and activism, with writers suggesting that advocacy involves working within systems and structures, while activism involves an element of resistance (e.g., protest, civil disobedience, etc.). Given the synergistic nature of overlaps, for the purposes of this article, key works that focus on the intersection of activism and advocacy have been included. However, we acknowledge that the broader literature on concepts related to activism such as resistance (unpacked by seminal scholars—most notably, Peter Moss, Glenda Mac Naughton, Hillevi Lenz Taguchi, and others), are not the focus of this piece as they constitute a closely related, but separate, body of literature. The article therefore remains focused only on activism and advocacy in early childhood, and is organized in five main themes: (a) reconceptualist theory, activism and advocacy, (b) advocacy and activism for children and families, (c) advocacy and activism by children and families, (d) advocacy and activism for/with/by early childhood professions, and (e) enabling and mobilizing advocacy and activism. Reconceptualist theories are central to much scholarship in early childhood (see for example, the seminal book series Contesting Early Childhood, published by Routledge). In particular, as a reconceptualist lens is often used in discussing advocacy and activism-related early childhood topics such as quality, leadership, social justice and professional identity—a section on reconceptualist theory, activism, and advocacy is included here at the outset. Advocacy and activism for children and families involves professionals across international contexts advocating for issues affecting children (such as childhood obesity) and is largely led by practitioners—such as healthcare professionals, educators, social care workers, civil society organizations, and other allied professionals or entities (e.g., faith-based organizations)—in order to meet children’s needs and/or improve outcomes for children and families. Advocacy and activism by children and families involves writings on advocacy initiatives led by families and children—for example, families advocating for their children’s rights to quality education where their child experiences disability. Advocacy and activism for/with/by early childhood professionals is focused primarily on self-advocacy for those working in early childhood sectors. This section investigates work on the understandings and practices of practitioners in advocating for improved professionalism, greater valuing of early childhood in policy and practice, and better status, pay, and working conditions—particularly for early childhood educators. The themes of leadership and enabling and mobilizing advocacy investigate works where individuals and organizations seek to empower and support individuals (including children, families, teachers, pre-service educators, etc.) to engage with/in advocacy. This includes research on leadership, advocacy training, activism tools, and articles highlighting pertinent gaps where advocacy and activism skill development is needed. As far as possible, this bibliography includes only recent literature (from 2012).
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Research/Scholarly Media
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Published Text
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Bibliography
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No
Citation
Mevawalla, Z., & Archer, N. (2022). Advocacy and Activism in Early Childhood. In Oxford Bibliographies. Oxford University Press. https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199756810/obo-9780199756810-0291.xml?q=Advocacy+and+Activism+in+Early+Childhood
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 Oxford Bibliographies [Special Series]: Continuous Improvement in Education |
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