This article considers the possibility of rethinking citizenship so as to include children. Much current discussion of children and society is marked by a series of interlocking discourses which serve to problematize and marginalize children. This dominant `negative agenda' thrives untouched by recognition of the many complex and demanding responsibilities accepted by children or of the many degrading social forces that bear down equally on children and adults such as poverty and racism. To think anew about citizenship and children can prompt us to consider the similarity of concerns confronting child and adult, and to recognize the interdependence of our lives and how such interdependency is best fostered. What might such a rethinking of citizenship entail? The article argues that, in addition to reconsidering what we think it is to be a child (for instance ideas about incompetence and irrationality associated with childhood), we need to rethink the value of the language of rights and the social significance of this language. Rights are not just about state-citizen relations but about how civil society should imagine itself; in this context the imagery of social conversation and participation is central to the rethinking of citizenship. The language of citizenship, rights and participation is fragmentary and yet the contestation around these ideas is intensifying and opening up new possibilities of social organization and dialogue. By way of conclusion, the requirements of such a vision of citizenship are considered - what will be needed to make it a social possibility.
Alanen, L.
(1994) `Gender and Generation: Feminism and the “Child Question”', in J. Qvortrup, M. Bardy, G. Sgritta and H. Wintersberger (eds) Childhood Matters Social Theory, Practice and Politics, pp. 27-42. Aldershot: Avebury.
2.
Alderson, P.
(1992) `The Rights of Children and Young People', in A. Coote (ed.) The Welfare of Citizens Developing New Social Rights. London: Institute for Public Policy Research/Rivers Oram Press.
3.
Alderson, P.
and J. Montgomery (1996) Health Care Choices Making Decisions with Children. London: IPPR.
4.
Aldridge, J.
and S. Becker (1995) `The Rights and Wrongs of Children Who Care', in B. Franklin (ed.) The Handbook of Children's Rights Comparative Policy and Practice, pp. 119-130. London: Routledge.
5.
Archard, D.
(1993) Children Rights and Childhood. London: Routledge.
6.
Barford, R.
and C. Wattam (1991) `Children's Participation in Decision Making', Practice5(2): 93-102.
7.
Bulmer, M.
and A.M. Rees (eds) (1996) Citizenship Today The Contemporary Relevance of T.H.Marshall. London: University College London Press.
8.
Cockburn, T.
(1998) `Children and Citizenship in Britain', Childhood5(1): 99-117.
9.
Coles, R.
(1997) The Moral Intelligence of Children. New York: Random House.
10.
Cooper, D.
(1993) `The Citizen's Charter and Radical Democracy: Empowerment and Exclusion within Citizenship Discourse', Social and Legal Studies2(2): 149-171.
11.
Crompton, R. (1997) `The Outlaws' Report', in Just William at School. London: Macmillan.
12.
Dalrymple, J.
and B. Burke (1995) Anti-Oppressive Practice Social Care and the Law. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
13.
Davis, A.
and L. Jones (1996) `Children in the Urban Environment: An Issue for the New Public Health', Health and Place22: 103-113.
14.
De Winter, M.
(1997) Children as Fellow Citizens Participation and Commitment. Abingdon: Radcliffe Medical Press.
15.
Democratic Dialogue
(1997) Politics: The Next Generation, Report 6. Belfast: Democratic Dialogue.
16.
Donald, J.
and A. Rattansi (eds) (1992) `Race' Culture and Difference. London: Sage.
17.
Ennew, J.
(1994) `Time for Children or Time for Adults', in J. Qvortrup et al. (eds) Childhood Matters. Social Theory, Practice and Politics, pp. 125-143. Aldershot: Avebury.
18.
Evans, M.
(ed.) (1994) The Woman Question, 2nd edn. London: Sage.
19.
Firestone, S.
(1970) The Dialectic of Sex: The Case for Feminist Revolution. London: Jonathon Cape.
20.
Freeman, M.D.A.
(1992) `Taking Children's Rights More Seriously', in P. Alston, S. Parker and J. Seymour (eds) Children, Rights and the Law, pp. 52-71. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
21.
Freire, P.
(1973) Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Seabury Press.
22.
Gittins, D.
(1998) The Child in Question. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
23.
Griffin, C.
(1993) Representations of Youth: The Study of Youth and Adolescence in Britain and America. Cambridge: Polity Press.
24.
Griffin, C.
(1997) `Representations of the Young', in J. Roche and S. Tucker (eds) Youth in Society, pp. 17-25. London: Sage.
25.
Heal, S.
(1994) An Introduction to the Issues in Respect of Young Carers. London: Carers National Association.
26.
Held, D.
(1991) `Between State and Civil Society', in G. Andrews (ed.) Citizenship, pp. 19-25. London: Lawrence and Wishart.
27.
Jackson, P.
(1989) Maps of Meaning. London: Unwin Hyman.
28.
King, M.
(1997) A Better World for Children. Explorations in Morality and Authority. London: Routledge.
29.
Lansdown, G.
(1995) `The Children's Rights Development Unit', in B. Franklin (ed.) The Handbook of Children's Rights Comparative Policy and Practice, pp. 107-118. London: Routledge.
30.
Levy, A. and B. Kahan (1991) The Pindown Experience and the Protection of Children. The Report of the Staffordshire Child Care Enquiry 1990. Staffordshire County Council.
31.
Liddiard, P.
, C. Tatum and S. Tucker (1997) Young Carers Research Project. Study of the Common Experiences of Young Carers in Two Different Communities. Milton Keynes: School of Health and Social Welfare, the Open University.
32.
Lifton, B.
(1989) The King of Children. London: Pan.
33.
Lister, R.
(1997) Citizenship Feminist Perspectives. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
34.
Marshall, T.H.
(1950) Citizenship and Social Class. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
35.
McGillivray, A.
(1994) `Why Children Do Have Equal Rights', International Journal of Children's Rights2: 243-258.
36.
Minow, M.
(1987) `Interpreting Rights: An Essay for Robert Cover', Yale Law Journal96(8): 1860-2017.
37.
Minow, M.
(1990) Making All the Difference: Inclusion, Exclusion and American Law. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
38.
NCH Action for Children
(1997) '98 Factfile. London: NCH Action for Children.
39.
Nedelsky, J.
(1993) `Reconceiving Rights as Relationship', Review of Constitutional Studies1(1): 1-26.
40.
O'Donovan, K.
(1993) Family Law Matters. London: Pluto.
41.
Olsen, F.
(1992) `Children's Rights: Some Feminist Approaches to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child', in P. Alston, S. Parker and J. Seymour (eds) Children, Rights and the Law, pp. 192-220. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
42.
Percy-Smith, B.
(1998) `Marginalisation of Children and Youth in Urban Neighbourhoods: Implications for Citizenship', paper presented to the Children and Social Exclusion Conference, Centre for the Social Study of Children, Hull University, March.
43.
Roche, J.
and A. Briggs (1990) `Allowing Children a Voice: A Note on Confidentiality', Journal of Social Welfare Law3: 178-192.
44.
Roche, J.
(1997) `Children's Rights: Participation and Dialogue', in J. Roche and S. Tucker (eds) Youth in Society. London: Sage.
45.
Sachs, A.
and J.H. Wilson (1978) Sexism and the Law. Oxford: Martin Robertson.
46.
Schofield, G
and J. Thoburn (1996) Child Protection The Voice of the Child in Decision Making. London: Institute for Public Policy Research.
47.
Scottish Law Commission
(1992) Report on Family Law, Scot. Law Com. No. 135. Edinburgh: HMSO.
48.
Stainton Rogers, W.
, R. Stainton Rogers, J. Vyrost and L. Lovas (1997) `Worlds Apart: Young People's Aspirations in a Changing World', in J. Roche and S. Tucker (eds) Youth in Society, pp. 26-34. London: Sage.
49.
Tatum, C.
and S. Tucker (1998) `The Concealed Consequences of Caring', Youth and Policy61: 12-27.
50.
Timms, J.
(1995) Children's Representation. London: Sweet and Maxwell.
51.
Walby, S.
(1992) `Woman and Nation', International Journal of Comparative SociologyXXXIII(1-2): 81-100.
52.
Williams, P.
(1991) The Alchemy of Race and Rights. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
53.
Williams, P.
(1995) The Rooster's Egg on the Persistence of Prejudice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
54.
Yeatman, A.
(1994) Postmodern Revisionings of the Political. London: Routledge.
55.
Zelizer, V.
(1985) Pricing the Priceless Child: The Changing Value of Children. New York: Basic Books.
