Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

With 40% of the world population being younger than 25, children and young people are at the heart of many of the contemporary global challenges. Promoting children’s rights and wellbeing, understanding diverse experiences as well as common issues, and recognising children and young people as active agents at the forefront of global challenges such as climate crisis, poverty and social injustices is crucial for creating more equitable, inclusive and sustainable societies for future generations.

This module builds on interdisciplinary strength of staff from the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology (GPS) working with children and young people in diverse socio-cultural and geographical contexts. We offer an original teaching portfolio based on world-leading research and expertise and with strong applicability for future career options. The module aims are:

1) To provide students with a critical understanding of the major global issues affecting children and young people.
2) To recognize and appreciate the diverse experiences of children and young people worldwide, while also identifying common issues and concerns.
3) To emphasize the role of children and young people as active agents addressing global issues, and their importance for creating more equitable, inclusive and sustainable societies for future generations.
4) To encourage interdisciplinary and cross-cultural thinking and learning about children and young people.

Outline Of Syllabus

Specific themes addressed by the module will vary from year to year, but they may include:

Different constructions of childhood and youth in society, culture, policy and law
Children, young people, displacement and migration
Discrimination of minoritized children and young people
Children and young people’s citizenship, political agency and participation
Children, young people and public space
Children and young people’s subcultures and recreational settings
Children, young people, disability and embodiment
Children, young people, poverty and labour
Child- and play- friendly cities
Children, young people, geopolitics, conflict and peace
Children, young people and climate change/crisis
Youth and urban masculinities/femininities
Education and inequalities
Race, ethnicity, multiculturalism, nationhood and social class
Intergenerational relations, parenting and reproductive geographies
Methodologies in research with children and young people

The focus of the module is how these challenges are present and can be addressed globally.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Upon completion of the module, students will develop a comprehensive critical understanding of:

1) the major global issues affecting children and young people;
2) the diverse experiences of children and young people worldwide, recognizing how these experiences are shaped by cultural, geographical, and socioeconomic factors;
3) key concepts in children and young people’s rights, wellbeing and agency, and their applicability in addressing challenges faced by children and young people in specific empirical contexts;
4) interdisciplinary perspectives on children and young people.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Upon completion of the module, students will be able to:

1) critically analyse global challenges affecting children and young people in specific empirical contexts from interdisciplinary perspectives;
2) confidently assess and interpret information relevant to the well-being and rights of children and young people;
3) apply problem-solving skills to address global challenges affecting children and young people and communicate their understanding in person and in writing;
4) consider ethical and methodological issues in responding to global challenges faced by children and young people

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Each week there will be a two-hour session led by one of the contributing staff members. The sessions will follow a similar format, incorporating lecture- and small-group activities. The lecture materials will introduce students to key areas of knowledge (key challenges, children and young people's experiences, key concepts), while the small-group interactive activities will focus on developing students' analytical abilities in addressing these themes.

Students will be expected to complete preparatory activities for each session (e.g. prior reading or exercise), and they will be provided with guidance on suggested activities to further enhance their learning on a specific topic, emphasising the problem-solving and analytical focus of learning.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Essay allows students to draw on their conceptual understanding of key module themes and apply it to selected empirical contexts. It will allow students to demonstrate their knowledge of key challenges and concepts as well as their skills in assessing, analysing and problem-solving relevant information while considerate of ethical and methodological issues related to work with children and young people.

The requirement to draw on at least two module themes and in connection will require students to engage in-depth with multiple teaching sessions in order to complete the assessment and to reflect on the links between individual teaching themes.

The formative assessment will ask students to discuss their summative assessment progress with multiple staff members, and to provide a reflection on the progress for further comments from the module leader, thus assisting with the development of submitted work.

General Notes

N/A