The Well-Being of Children

The Well-Being of Children

by Gottfried Schweiger, Gunter Graf
Released January 2016
Publisher(s): De Gruyter Open
ISBN: 9783110450644

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Book description

This volume explores the questions related to the theory, practice, and policy of the well-being and well-becoming of children. It does so in a truly interdisciplinary way with a focus on the social sciences and philosophy, giving therefore justice to the growing insight that studying and promoting the well-being of children has a strong ethical component. It is dependent on the questions of good life, its conditions and cannot be separated from the concept of social justice and moral entitlements of children and their families. In this book, philosophers and social scientists, in close dialogue, shed light on some of the most challenging matters involved.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half-Title
  3. Titlepage
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Preface
  8. List of Contributors
  9. Gunter Graf & Gottfried Schweiger
  10. Introduction: Conceptualizing Children’s Well-Being
  11. Section I: Theories and Concepts of Children’s Well-Being
  12. Gunter Graf
  13. 1 Conceptions of Childhood, Agency and the Well-Being of Children
  14. 1.1 Introduction
  15. 1.2 The Social Construction of Childhood
  16. 1.3 Children as Equals?
  17. 1.4 Agency and Well-being
  18. 1.5 Conclusion
  19. References
  20. Tatjana Višak
  21. 2 Does Welfare Trump Freedom? A Normative Evaluation of Contextualism about how to Promote Welfare
  22. 2.1 Introduction
  23. 2.2 Childhood Obesity
  24. 2.3 Childhood Obesity as a Welfare Problem
  25. 2.4 Contextualism About How to Promote Welfare
  26. 2.5 Defending Contextualism in the Case of Childhood Obesity Prevention Against a Normative Challenge
  27. 2.6 Is Childhood Obesity a Special Case?
  28. 2.7 Conclusion
  29. References
  30. Tim Moore
  31. 3 Keeping them in Mind
  32. 3.1 Introduction
  33. 3.2 Competing Conceptualisations and the Challenges of Researching Children
  34. 3.3 My Study
  35. 3.4 Reflexivity as a Process Through Which Theoretical and Procedural Challenges might be Navigated
  36. 3.5 Re-Considering Vulnerability and Incompetence Reflexively
  37. 3.5.1 The Influence of Vulnerable Conceptions
  38. 3.6 (Re)considering Vulnerability Reflexively
  39. 3.7 Negotiating Risks with Ethics Committees
  40. 3.7.1 Managing Researchers’ Vulnerabilities
  41. 3.7.2 Encouraging Conversations about Vulnerability and Children within the Broader Research Field
  42. 3.7.3 Children’s Competence and Incompetence
  43. 3.8 Reconsidering Children’s Competence
  44. 3.8.1 Children’s Competence Greater than Suggested
  45. 3.8.2 The Influence of Incompetent Conceptions
  46. 3.9 (Re)considering Competence Reflexively
  47. 3.9.1 Being Aware of one’s own Theoretical, Ontological and Epistemological Position
  48. 3.9.2 Considering Methodologies and Methods
  49. 3.9.3 Reflecting on Power
  50. 3.9.4 Considering Competence within the Field
  51. References
  52. Bill Gardner
  53. 4 The Developmental Capability Model of Child Well-Being
  54. 4.1 Development and Capabilities
  55. 4.2 Developmental Capability Well-Being and Justice
  56. 4.3 Implications for the Care of Children
  57. 4.4 Conclusion
  58. References
  59. Gottfried Schweiger
  60. 5 Justice and Children’s Well-Being and Well-Becoming
  61. 5.1 Introduction
  62. 5.2 The Goals of Justice: Well-Being and Well-Becoming
  63. 5.3 Choosing Dimensions of Well-Being and Well-Becoming and the Currency of Justice
  64. 5.4 Pluralism and the Rule of Justice
  65. 5.5 Conclusions
  66. References
  67. Section II: Children Well-Being and Well-Becoming
  68. Amy Clair
  69. 6 Conceptualising Child versus Adult Well-Being: Schooling and Employment
  70. 6.1 Introduction
  71. 6.2 Engagement
  72. 6.2.1 Employee Engagement and Job Quality
  73. 6.2.2 School Engagement and Connectedness
  74. 6.3 The Happy-Productive Worker Hypothesis
  75. 6.4 A Brief Summary of Existing School/Subjective Well-Being Research
  76. 6.5 Do Differences between Children and Adults Undermine this Comparison?
  77. 6.6 Can this Comparison be Used to Influence Education Policy?
  78. References
  79. Alexander Bagattini
  80. 7 Male Circumcision and Children’s Interests
  81. 7.1 Introduction
  82. 7.2 Circumcision and the Bodily Integrity of the Child
  83. 7.3 Circumcision and Future Interests of the Child
  84. 7.3.1 Sexual Flourishing of the Future Adult
  85. 7.3.2 Autonomy
  86. 7.4 The Benefits of Circumcision
  87. 7.5 Conclusion
  88. References
  89. Mar Cabezas
  90. 8 Children’s Mental Well-Being and Education
  91. 8.1 Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds: Why do Children Need Mental Well-Being?
  92. 8.2 Some Changes in our Educational Systems: Three Promising Attempts?
  93. 8.3 Psychology and Ethics in Mental Well-Being: Before a How You Need a What
  94. 8.4 Conclusion
  95. References
  96. Matteo D’Emilione, Giovannina Giuliano & Paloma Vivaldi Vera
  97. 9 Will Children of Social Care Services Users be Future Users? Results of a Pilot Research in Rome
  98. 9.1 Introduction
  99. 9.2 MACAD Rationale: How the Model Works and How it Could be Developed
  100. 9.2.1 From the Capability Approach to Ecological Systems Theory: the Child at the Centre of the Development Process
  101. 9.3 Families’ Capabilities and Children’s Well-being: Results of Empirical Investigation
  102. 9.4 Policy-making and children’s well-being: lessons and concluding remarks
  103. References
  104. List of Figures
  105. List of Tables
  106. Index
  107. Back Cover

Product information

  • Title: The Well-Being of Children
  • Author(s): Gottfried Schweiger, Gunter Graf
  • Release date: January 2016
  • Publisher(s): De Gruyter Open
  • ISBN: 9783110450644