Legal Concepts of Childhood

by Julia Fionda (Editor)

Overview

Concepts of who and what children are and what childhood consists of have changed over time. Our historical and contemporary notions of childhood also change according to the context of the interaction between the child and the state. This book is concerned with various ideas of what childhood consists of where the child is involved with the legal system. An identification of legal concepts of childhood can offer many insights into our treatment of children,the capacities which we expect them (possibly unfairly) to possess and the extent of any protection which they deserve or can expect from those charged with the responsibility for their welfare. Each essay in this collection focuses on a particular legal discipline which centrally involves children whether as litigants, victims or perpetrators of crimes, owners of property, recipients of welfare services etc. The object of the analysis is to assess how children are regarded by lawyers in each discipline; for example, as objects of concern, requiring protection; as autonomous possessors of rights; as lacking in moral consciousness or full mental capacity; or as fully aware of and accountable for their actions. In order to make comparisons with notions of childhood in other contexts, the substantive part of the book will also include essays on the perspectives on childhood at the core of other disciplines including sociology, psychology, philosophy and literature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781841131504
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/02/2001
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

Julia Fionda is Senior Lecturer and Director of the Institute of Criminal Justice in the Law School at Southampton University.

Table of Contents

PART I – PERSPECTIVES ON CHILDHOOD

1. Legal Concepts of Childhood: an Introduction
Julia Fionda

2. Sociological Perspectives and Media Representations of Childhood
Chris Jenks

3. Philosophical Perspectives on Childhood
David Archard

4. Psychological and Psychiatric Perspectives
Quentin Spender and Alexandra John

PART II – THE CHILD IN LAW

5. Youth and Justice
Julia Fionda

6. Children in Court
Allan Levy KC

7. Law, Literature and the Child
Ian Ward

8. Children Through Tort
Roderick Bagshaw

9. The Medical Treatment of Children
Penney Lewis

10. The Minor as (a) Subject: the Case of Housing Law
David Cowan and Nick Dearden

11. The Child in Family Law
Michael Freeman

12. Children's Rights and Education
Paul Meredith

13. Children and Social Security Law
Nick Wikeley

Editorial Reviews

This publication provides a useful analysis of how our legal system views children. It will be of interest to all those involved with children in the legal system.” —The Review Editor, ChildRIGHT

“The analyses presented here are accessible and, for readers who are unfamiliar with the law relating to children, they succeed in conveying some of the key shifts in thinking and policy that have taken place over the past two decades. The collection provides further evidence of the quality of the growing scholarship on children and the law.” —Jeremy Roche, The Open University, Children and Society

From the Publisher

Fiona (U. of Southampton) introduces the issues pursued in 13 contributions by UK legal scholars, attorneys, and mental health clinicians. These include legal, sociological (including media representations), philosophical, and psychological and psychiatric perspectives. Aspects of the child in law examined and cross- examined include children's roles and rights in: court, tort cases, medical treatment, housing, family law, education, and social security law. Includes a list of cases and table of international and national legislation. Distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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