Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

“This is what democracy looks like!”: Strengthening advocacy in neoliberal times

2003; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 24; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/1090102030240210

1745-5642

Beth Blue Swadener,

Children's Rights and Participation

Abstract Drawing from an array of theoretical and experiential sources ranging from policy studies to ethnographies, this essay frames a number of public policy issues related to children, families, and early childhood education. These issues provide a brief genealogy of multiple contexts in which early childhood teacher education operates in the United States. Issues addressed include: welfare reform, "No Child Left Behind" legislation, the crimi‐nalization of children, language policies, and recently proposed changes in Head Start. The author draws from her teaching, research, and community organizing experiences to recommend ways to strengthen public policy awareness and advocacy engagement in the field of early childhood teacher education.