Politics in the Playground

The world of early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand

Helen May

• Publisher: Otago University Press
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9780947522735
• Edition: 0
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: History of Education
• Index: Social Sciences

Freshly updated in 2019, the third edition of Politics in the Playground: The world of early childhood in Aotearoa New Zealand is a lively history of early childhood education and care in Aotearoa New Zealand in the postwar era. The book follows on from Discovery of Early Childhood (1997, 2013), which traced the origins of institutional care and education for young children in Europe, US and New Zealand prior to state interest and serious investment. This latest edition brings the story right up to date with developments under the Labour coalition government of Jacinda Ardern. The place of children in New Zealand's social history makes this book a remarkable record of social movements. The postwar search for security, the radicalism of the 1960s and 1970s, the rise of feminism, the role of the state in social issues, increasing employment of women – all have impacted on early childhood education. The language of the debate has shifted from 'social progress' in mid-century, to the economic terminology of the 1990s, some cautious consideration of the young child citizen in the 2000s, followed by the rhetoric of 'risk', the 'vulnerable child' and a new story in this revised edition covering the 2010s. This is an account of critical issues for young children that will interest parents, policy- makers, teachers and students.

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Half Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction: Investing in the Early Years
• Part One / Growth and Expectation 1940s–1960s
• Part Two / Challenge and Constraint 1960s–1980s
• Part Three / State Interest and Devolution 1980s–1990s 201
• Part Four / Strategic Directions 2000s–2010s
• References
• Abbreviations
• Glossary
• Index