Yes, they can!
Children researching their lives
We are all experts of our own living conditions. Women and men, children and young people. We can all judge whether our living conditions are satisfactory to us or not. But whose opinion is heard? Who decides? Whose needs eventually lead to change?
Some 100 researchers – young people and adults – who participated in the conference "Researching Children" taking place at the SOS Children's Villages Hermann Gmeiner Academy in Innsbruck from 10 to 12 December 2007, agreed: children and young people must not only be asked but also be listened to and involved in decisions. And they are to decide themselves how to collect data. Because young people CAN do so.
Plenty of evidence to that effect was presented during the conference and can be read in "Yes, they can! Children researching their lives", as are discussions on questions such as: What kind of preconditions are necessary for research work with children and young people to have a real impact and not just be used as an alibi? What methods can be used in research with children and young people and what studies on this topic do exist?
Theorists as well as people working in the field came together both at the conference and to write this book. They believe in what a participant in the conference expressed in the following way: “Everyone has the right to talk and think about our society.” Children and young people do. And they have a lot to say.
Fiedler, Julia / Posch, Christian (2009): Yes, they can! Children researching their lives. Baltmansweiler, Schneider Verlag Hohengehren GmbH. € 19,80.-
To be ordered by: researchingchildren@sos-kd.org or www.paedagogik.de
Table of contents: see downloads