Stockholm
University
Study guide
Implementing the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child
First cycle, 15 credits
Fall semester, 2012
September 3 – November 4, 2012
Content:
Basic information
Intended Learning Outcomes
Teaching and Learning Activities
Schedule
Examination and Grading Criteria
Evaluation
Course Literature
Course leader and
examiner
David Payne
Mail: david.payne@buv.su.se
Phone: +46 8 1207 6216
Course administrator
Lorana
Kuruzovic
Mail: lorana.kuruzovic@buv.su.se
Phone : +46 8 1207 6246
Department of Child and Youth Studies
Stockholm University
Dep of Child and Youth Studies
SE- 106 91 Stockholm
Visiting address
Frescati hagväg 24
www.buv.su.se
Basic information
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Ph. +46-8-1207 6205
Fax. +46-8-1207 6200
E-mail: info@buv.su.se
Welcome to the course Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child given by the
Department of Child and Youth Studies at Stockholm University.
Address: Campus Frescati hage, Frescati hagväg 24. Please look at the map in the following link:
(The Department of Child and Youth Studies is marked with “BUV”)
http://www.buv.su.se/content/1/c6/02/65/34/BUV_Campuskarta_web.gif
The international office at Stockholm University arranges a special orientation programme the week
before, starting with a special Orientation day on Monday August 28, 4-8 pm.. The Orientation
Programme for international students is designed to provide you with practical advice on a wide range
of subjects, such as student e-mail accounts, opening a bank account, student health care, Swedish
language courses, the Student union activities. It also aims to provide you with the opportunity to meet
new people and settle into your life here. For more details about the orientation week, please see
http://www.su.se/english/study/exchange-students/exchange-news/orientation-week-autumn-semester2012-1.84098
The course starts on Monday, September 3rd, at 3-5 pm in room 121a at the Department of Child
and Youth Studies. Address: Frescati hagväg 16b. Registration for the course is also open at the
Department of Child and Youth Studies at the same time, in the main house on Frescati hagväg 24.
The students that you will meet in the course come from our partner universities around the world,
Swedish and international students, who have signed up for this course individually as so-called Free
Movers, as well as Teacher students at Stockholm University.
The course you are taking is an integrated full-time course for twenty weeks of study, First, and
Second cycle. The course will give you 30 ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer System). The
course is taught by a team of lecturers: Ingrid Engdahl, David Payne, Henrik Ingrids and Jenny
Nilsson. The weekly content is theme-based.
The course syllabus, other documents in the course and important information during the course are
found on the course website. Please follow the link: www.buv.su.se/english
Other important information about your studies at Stockholm can be found at the following web site:
http://www.su.se/english
In this study guide there are references to First cycle (‘bachelors’) and Second cycle (‘masters’)
students. However, this course is only given at First cycle.
Additional information
Other important information about being a student at Stockholm can be found at the following web
site: http://www.su.se/english
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Intended learning outcomes
After having completed the course, a student is expected to be able to
* make a critical account of concepts and issues regarding children and youth, and of culture and
identity
creations by children and youth,
* display a critical consciousness of international trends regardíng children's care, social vulnerability,
education and socialisation and
* make a critical description and discussion of the concept of the best interests of the child, as
manifested in the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.
Teaching and Learning Activities
The teaching and learning in the course are theme based. There are three themes in the course and for
each theme there will be lectures, seminars, individual readings, group assignments and oral and
written presentations. The course literature is first assigned to different themes, but will then be used
throughout the course. More articles and other texts may be added.
Most lectures and seminars are scheduled on Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings, but there are
classes scheduled during other days. Please look at the Schedule for time and place. Group
assignments and individual reading may be scheduled by the groups on Tuesday, Wednesday and
Friday.
The three themes are:
1) Introduction to the study of childhood, culture and globalization.
2) Threats and adversities in the light of globalization and the UN Convention on the rights of
the child.
3) Children, Citizenship and Society.
Students will work actively during the course in the following ways:
Group activities
- interview each other and present each other in the class,
- discuss course literature before literature seminars, taking turns and making sure that everyone has
the opportunity to start a strand of discussion,
- perform short investigations in Sweden or on the Internet about questions linked to children,
culture, globalisation, that have originated from the readings and the seminars.
Course literature
- read specific articles and chapters, and while reading making notes of things that are 1)
interesting, 2) difficult and 3) questionable, with comments on why these parts are noted,
- meet with other students and discuss the 1-3 notes and comments,
- bring notes, comments and group discussions to literature seminars and actively engage in the
discussions.
Lectures and seminars
- read the appointed literature in advance,
- participate and contribute to the seminars by raising your thoughts and opinions,
- present the result from the theme-based assignments in Workshops for all students, preferably in
various ways, using different methods.
Writing
- hand in reviews of certain texts or articles,
- present the result from the theme-based assignments as a written group or individual report,
- write an individual paper as an individual examination of the course.
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Students are expected to be present in class during lectures and seminars. Students who miss a class
shall contact the lecturer in charge for a make-up assignment.
The course literature is shown for each week. A star (*) indicates that the referred literature is
available through the Library at Stockholm University, on-line access and sometime also in a printed
edition. Some of these references are also put directly on the course web site. Optional and additional
literature may be chosen by students and teachers in collaboration.
The reference system recommended in the course follows the American Psychological Association
APA, including page numbers, and there is a manual available in Engdahl & Sandqvist: Writing a
Thesis.
Schedule
Monday, September 3, 3-5pm, Room 121a.
Session 1. Welcome Lecture: David Payne, course leader and Ingrid Engdahl, director of studies
Literature:
1. Study guide.
2. The Gothenburg Recommendations on Education for Sustainable Development (2009).
http://www.chalmers.se/gmv/EN/about-gmv/publications
Theme One: Introduction to the study of childhood, culture and globalization
Thursday, September 6, 10-12am, Room 107.
Session 2. Introduction Lecture: Key Concepts: Children, Culture and Globalisation. (David Payne)
Introduction of Group assignment 1.
Literature:
1. Fass, Paula S. (2003). Children and globalization. Journal of Social History, 36(4), 963–977.*
2. Wyness, Michael (2011). Childhood and society: An introduction to the sociology of childhood (2
ed.). New York: Palgrave MacMillan . Introduction and Chapters 1-3 from Part 1.
3. Jenks, Chris. (2005). Childhood (2 ed.). Chapters 3 and 6.
4. Buckingham, David (2003). New media? New Childhoods. In Mary Jane Kehily (Ed.) An
intoduction to childhood studies. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill. * (provided)
5. Lechner & Boli (Eds.) (2007). The globalization reader Oxford: Blackwell. Chapters 3, 7-9.
Additional Reading:
6. Kjorholt, A (2007). Childhood as a Symbolic Space: Searching For Authentic Voices in the Era of
Globalisation. Children’s Geographies, 5(1–2), 29–42.*
Monday September 10, 1-3pm, Room 202.
Session 3. The Human and the Child in International Law: Righting a Wrong or The Wrong Rights?
(David Payne)
Literature:
1. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child* (see Mondo).
2. Sukarieh et al. (1999). Through Children's Eyes: Children's Rights in Shatila Camp. Journal of
Palestine Studies, 29(1), 50-57.*
3. James, Allison & James, Adrian. (2004). Constructing childhood. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Chapter 4 (The Universalisation of Law?) (provided).
Additional Reading:
4. Margolin, C.R. Salvation Versus Liberation: The Movements for Children’s Rights in a Historical
Context. Social Problems, 25(4), 441-52.*
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Wednesday September 12, 10-12am, Room 107. (Morning)
Session 4. Lecture on the UNCRC in the context of Sweden (Henrik Ingrids)
Literature:
1. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.* (Mondo)
2. James, Allison & James, Adrian. (2004). Constructing childhood. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Chapter 4 (The Universalisation of Law?) (provided).
3. Eriksson, M. & Näsman, E. (2008). Participation in Family Law Proceedings for Children Whose
Father is Violent to Their Mother. Childhood. 15(2), 259-275
4. Sweden’s Fourth Periodic Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child 2002–2007
http://www.sweden.gov.se/content/1/c6/08/89/86/6bd4cf18.pdf
5. CRC/C/SWE/CO/4 (2009). Concluding observations: Sweden
http://unicef-porthos-production.s3.amazonaws.com/concluding-observationssweden_9e6bde54d6346370.pdf
6. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (2011). Strategy to strengthen the rights of the child in
Sweden
http://www.sweden.gov.se/content/1/c6/17/85/39/7fef497a.pdf
Wednesday September 12, 2-4pm, Room 107. (Afternoon)
Session 5. Lecture on Children and Collective Rights. Roma People in the Context of Eastern Europe
(Maya Tcholakova, visiting professor from South West University, Bulgaria)
Monday, September 17, 1-3pm. Room 121a
Session 6. Literature Seminar. (David Payne)
Literature:
1. The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. * (Mondo)
2. The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.* (Mondo)
3. Wyness, Michael (2011). Childhood and society: An introduction to the sociology of childhood (2
ed.). New York: Palgrave MacMillan . Chapters 1-3.
4. Woodhead, M. & Montgomery, H. (Eds.). (2003). Understanding Childhood an interdisciplinary
approach. John Wiley & Sons: Chichester; The Open University: Milton Keynes. Chapters 1-2.
5. Lechner & Boli (Eds.) (2007). The Globalization Reader Oxford: Blackwell. Chapters 12, 16 & 39.
Additional Reading:
5. O’Neil, Onora (1988). Children’s Rights and Children’s Lives. Ethics, 98, 445-63.*
Thursday, September 20, 1-4pm, Room 202.
Session 7. First Group Task Presentation. (David Payne)
Theme Two: Threats and adversities in Light of Globalization and the UNCRC.
Monday, September 24, 10-12am, Room 121b. (Morning)
Session 8. Lecture on Threats and Adversities (I) The Child: In Harm’s Way? (David Payne)
Introduction of Group assignment 2.
Literature:
1. Wyness, Michael (2011). Childhood and society: An introduction to the sociology of childhood (2
ed.). New York: Palgrave MacMillan . Chapter 5.
2. Woodhead, M. & Montgomery, H. (Eds.). (2003). Understanding childhood an interdisciplinary
approach. John Wiley & Sons: Chichester; The Open University: Milton Keynes.
Monday, September 24, 1-3pm, Room 121b. (Afternoon)
Session 9. Literature Seminar on Threats and Adversities (I) (David Payne)
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Literature:
1. Guiné and Fuentes (2007). Engendering Redistribution, Recognition and Representation: The Case
of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the United Kingdom and France. Politics and Society 35(3)
477-519.*
2. Wade (2012). Learning from “Female Genital Mutilation”: Lessons from 30 Years of Academic
Discourse. Ethnicities, 12(1). 26-49.*
3. Moran, Joe (2001). Childhood Sexuality and Education: The Case of Section 28. Sexualities 4(1)
73-89. *
4. Brems, Eva. (2006). Above Children’s Heads: The Headscarf Controversy in European Schools
from the Perspective of Children’s Rights. The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 14, 119–
136. *
Thursday, September 27, 10-12am, Room 204.
Session 10. Lecture on Threats and Adversities (II): the Politics of Protection. (David Payne)
Literature:
1. Jean Zermatten. The Best Interests of the Child Principle: Literal Analysis and Function.
International Journal of Children’s Right, 18, 483–499.
2. Zivkovic et al. (2010). In the name of the child: The gendered politics of childhood obesity. Journal
of Sociology 46.*
3. Ottosen M H. (2006). In the Name of The Father, The Child and The Holy Genes
Constructions of The Child's Best Interest’ in Legal Disputes Over Contact. Acta Sociologica, 49(1),
29-46.*
Monday, October 1, 1-3pm, Room 107.
Session 11. Workshop and Seminar. The UNCRC. Possibilities and Dilemmas. (Henrik Ingrids)
Thursday, October 4, 2-5pm, Room 121a.
Session 12. Second Group task Presentations (Henrik Ingrids and David Payne)
Theme Three: Children, Citizenship and Society
Monday, October 8, 1-3pm, Room 123.
Session 13. Lecture: Child Participation, Politics and Citizenship Issues. (David Payne)
Literature:
1. Wyness, M (2011). Childhood and society: An introduction to the sociology of childhood (2 ed.).
New York: Palgrave MacMillan. Chapter 10.
2. Therborn, G. (1996). The Politics of Children: Dimensions and Perspectives. Childhood, 3.
Additional Reading:
H. Thorgeirsdothir (2006). A Commentary on Article 13: The Right to Freedom of Expression, from
the UNCRC. Boston. Marinus Nijhoff Press. E-book.
Thursday, October 11, 10-12am, Room 121a.
Session 14. Literature Seminar. (David Payne)
Literature:
1. Wyness, M.. (2001). Adult's Involvement in Children's Participation: Juggling Children's Place and
Spaces. Or Children, childhood and political participation: Case studies of young people’s councils.
The International Journal of Children’s Rights 9, 193–212.
2. Wyness, M. et al. (2004). Politics and Ambiguity. Towards an Agenda for Children’s Political
Inclusion. Sociology, 38(1), 81-99.
3. Manfred Liebel and Iven Saadi. Children’s Participation in the traps of Cultural Diversity.*
(Provided)
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4. Evans & Spicer. (2008) .Is Participation Prevention? A blurring of discourses in children's
preventative initiatives in the UK. Childhood, 15(1), 50-73.*
Additional Reading
4. Gallagher, Michael. (2008). Foucault, Power and Participation. International Journal of Children’s
Rights 16, 395–406.*
Monday, October 15, 1-3pm, Room 202.
Session 15. The Extremes of Politics: Radicalism, Apathy, Moral Panics in the Young. (David Payne)
Literature
1. Efi Avdela, (2008). Corrupting and Uncontrollable Activities': Moral Panic about Youth in PostCivil-War Greece. Journal of Contemporary History, 43(1), 25-44.*
2. Schneider, C. L. (2008). Police Power and Race Riots in Paris. Politics and Society, 36(1), 133159.*
3.Bridges, Lee. (2012). Four Days in August: the UK Riots. Race & Class, 54(1), 1-12.*
Additional Reading.
4. Arendt, Hannah, (1996). The Case of Little Rock. In The Portable Hannah Arendt. London:
Penguin. *
Thursday, October 18, 10-12am, Room 121a.
Session 16. Lecture. Education, Globalisation and Citizenship (Jenny Nilsson)
Introduction of Individual assignment.
Literature:
1. Bunar, N. (2010). Choosing for quality or inequality: current perspectives on the implementation of
school choice policy in Sweden. Journal of Education Policy, 25(1), 1-18.*
2.Christie and Sidhu. (2006). Governmentality and ‘fearless speech’: framing the education of asylum
seeker and refugee children in Australia. Oxford Review of Education 32(4), 449–465. *
3.Pinson and Arnot. (2009). Local conceptualisations of the education of asylum-seeking and
refugee students: from hostile to holistic models. International Journal of Inclusive Education
2009, 1–21. *
Monday October 22, 1-3pm, Room 121a.
Session 17. Literature Seminar. (Jenny Nilsson)
Literature:
1.Bunar, N. (2010). Choosing for quality or inequality: current perspectives on the implementation of
school choice policy in Sweden. Journal of Education Policy, 25(1), 1-18.*
2.Christie and Sidhu. (2006). Governmentality and ‘fearless speech’:framing the education of asylum
seeker and refugee children in Australia. Oxford Review of Education 32(4), 449–465. *
3.Pinson and Arnot. (2009). Local conceptualisations of the education of asylum-seeking and
refugee students: from hostile to holistic models. International Journal of Inclusive Education
2009, 1–21. *
4.Wyness, M. (2011). Childhood and society. An Introduction to the Sociology of Childhood. New
York: Palgrave MacMillan (Chapter on Education and Schooling).
Thursday October 25, 9-12am, Room 121b
Session 18. Discussion Forum based on the comparative analysis of School Curricula. (David Payne,
Jenny Nilsson)
October 26 – November 4 Writing the Final course paper
Part 1 of the course will be examined by an individual paper. Students may discuss their drafts with
each other during the week, thus supporting the learning process and the writing. However, the course
paper is an individual assignment.
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Please note, the department follows the APA reference system (see Writing a Thesis link on the course
web page), and in this assignment, all references shall include page numbers.
Deadline for the course paper is Sunday, November 4, Midnight.
Please, read also the information about Examination on page 11.
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Examination
Attendance
Seminars are mandatory. Absence can be compensated in accordance with instructions by the course
leader. Students contact the course leader for make-up assignments.
With an absence over 45 % from seminars, the student is considered not to have taken the course and
must re-register in order to complete at a later time.
Formative assessment
The lecturers will give feedback on the oral and written work.
Oral presentation
- Being able to present the project in a clear way / where all participants contribute
- Being able to answer questions
- Participating in discussions about advantages/disadvantages of the project
Written individual assignment
The text will be commented on the following aspects:
- Presentation of the topic and coherence between the different parts,
- Connection to previous research, lectures, seminars and and to course literature,
- Discussion, and
- Language, references.
Summative assessment
The course will be examined by three different tasks that will be graded with Pass or Fail (EXA1,
EXA2) and with a scale between A-F (EXA3).
EXA1 Group work, 2.5 cr
Students will work in groups with Group assignment 1 and 2. Written instructions will be handed out
during sessions 2 and 8. The assignments are to be presented and discussed during sessions 7 and 12.
A written documentation shall be handed in at the same time.
EXA2 Curricula comparison, 2.5 cr
Students will do a comparison between two curricula. Written instructions will be handed out during
session 16 and the comparisons shall be presented, discussed and handed in during session 18.
EXA3 Individual paper, 10 cr
Your learning will be assessed through an individual final course paper. The final course paper will
include an overall discussion of the course content in relation to a) course literature; b) lectures and
seminars; c) on-going class discussions.
It should have a coherent structure, including a short introduction that clearly sets out the aims and
questions guiding your paper. The aims and questions should be informed by the overall content of the
course, with special consideration given to the UNCRC. You can select certain aspects of the course
that were of particular interest to you, and explore these particular issues in greater depth.
The main body of the text should draw upon a range of sources - such as course literature, lectures,
and the continuing discussions - to support and argue for the claims you are seeking to advance.
You should ensure that the paper includes a conclusion, in which the major points are recapitulated.
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The paper should be max. 12 A4 pages long, including a front page and a complete reference list. In
assessing the final course paper, great importance will be given to correct reference use, and that
citations are short and followed by page reference. Plagiarism is not accepted in any form.
Use type face Times New Roman, size 12, 1.5 spacing. Handwritten papers are not accepted. The
paper should be sent electronically (email) to David Payne at david.payne@buv.su.se, not later than
Sunday, November 4, Midnight.
Grade for the whole course
To get a grade for the whole course, all examinations must be finished with at least the grades G or E
and all tasks must be fulfilled.
Assessment criteria
EXA1 Group work
G. Pass: The student presents group work for discussion during seminars and hands in group
documentation.
U. Fail: The student has not finished or presented the group work adequately.
EXA2 Curricula Comparison
G. Pass: The student presents the comparison for discussion during a seminar and hands in a short
paper.
U. Fail: The student has not handed in or presented the comparison adequately.
EXA3 Individual paper
A Excellent. The area of knowledge is systematically described and evaluated and problems are
exposed. The essay is well written in a clear and satisfying way, and has complete and correct
references.
B Very Good. The area of knowledge is systematically described and evaluated with relevant course
concepts. The essay is written in a clear and satisfying way, and has complete and correct references.
C Good. The area of knowledge is described and evaluated with relevant course concepts. The essay
is satisfactorily extensive and is coherent with correct references.
D Satisfactory. The area of knowledge is described and discussed with help of course concepts. The
essay is satisfactorily extensive and coherent, with correct references.
E Adequate. The area of knowledge is described and discussed extensively. The essay is coherent
with mostly correct references.
Fx Insufficient. The essay has one or several shortcomings, but the shortcomings are regarded
possible to be attended to within two weeks. Shortcomings include: the area of knowledge is not
described and discussed extensively, the paper does not show adequate command of the English
language, and/or does not have a satisfactory reference system.
F Fail. As Fx, but the shortcomings are regarded too extensive to be attended to. The student must
hand in a new text.
Evaluation
Students are invited to participate in discussions about the course and are free to bring up suggestions
for changes during the course. An on-line evaluation form will be distributed to all students at the end
of the course.
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Course Literature
Arendt, H. (2003). Reflections on Little Rock. In The Portable Hannah Arendt. London: Penguin. (12
pages)
Bryman, A. (2008 or later) Social research methods (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. (200
pages)
Buckingham, D. (2003). New media? New Childhoods. In M. J. Kehily (Ed.), An Introduction to
Childhood Studies. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill. (15 pages)
Engdahl, I. & Sandqvist, K. (2009, revised 2012). Writing a thesis: A guide for scientific reports.
Stockholm: Stockholm University.
Englundh, E. (2008). Folkrätt för barn som pedagogiskt åtagande: Statligt ansvar - regionalt lärande?
[International Law on Children as an Educational Commitment: National obligation - regional
learning?]. (Diss nr 143). Stockholm: Department of Education, Stockholm University.
(Summary in English, provided).
The Gothenburg Recommendations on Education for Sustainable Development (2008).
http://www.chalmers.se/gmv/EN/about-gmv/publications
Jenks, C. (2005). Childhood (2 ed.). London: Routledge. (60 pages)
Lechner, F. J. (Ed.). (2007 or later).The globalization reader. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. (120 pages)
UN. (1989). The UN convention on the rights of the child. New York: United Nations.
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm
UNESCO. EFA Global monitoring report. (Optional annual report)
[URL] http://www.unesco.org/en/education/efareport/reports/
UNICEF. The state of the world’s children. (Optional annual report)
[URL] http://www.unicef.org/publications/index.html
Woodhead, M. & Montgomery, H. (Eds.). (2003 or later). Understanding childhood: An
interdisciplinary approach. John Wiley & Sons: Chichester; The Open University: Milton
Keynes. (150 pages)
Wyness, M (2006 or 2011). Childhood and society. An introduction to the sociology of childhood.
New York: Palgrave MacMillan. (200 pages)
Additional articles will be handed out during the course.
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