Book Review:Introduction to Critical Legal Theory
| Author | Ben Golder |
| DOI | 10.1177/096466390601500112 |
| Published date | 01 March 2006 |
| Date | 01 March 2006 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
154
SOCIAL & LEGAL STUDIES 15(1)
focused on other matters) and economics. This discussion injects a healthy focus on
structural and societal influences into the book. The pitfalls of not incorporating
children’s voices into research are well laid out in their third example which looks at
what happened to research into the use of child labour internationally. When children
were invited to comment on the research findings – which suggested that such (mis-)
use of labour be abolished – they protested that what they wanted was regulation of
conditions rather than to be denied the right to work to support themselves and/or
their families (p. 276). This is an interesting take on the perils facing liberal-minded
researchers who seek to change children’s lives for the better and involve them in the
research. An earlier chapter by Adele Jones also deals with this and points to the dele-
terious effects of a well-meaning boycott of goods manufactured using child labour
– thousands of child workers were dismissed, many to face destitution. Jones
concludes that by quoting the International Labour Organization (ILO) ‘unless
children are involved in interpreting findings then action arising out of research may
result in more harm than good’ (p. 127). The book makes the case for children’s
participation and cooperation throughout all stages of research.
The Reality of Research with Children and Young People is the second in the series
and provides a set of insights into the ‘kitchen’ of research. Phases of research such
as question formulation, the process and ethics of establishing access, devising
methodology and the writing-up phases are all explored by means of the authors of
published research providing a commentary that reflects on the progress of the
research from idea germination to publication. Things that are rarely included in a
final published version are discussed here: researcher motivation, difficulties experi-
enced in gaining access, the good ideas that failed to work in practice, and so on are
all uncovered in the commentaries.
The research studies in The Reality of Research with Children and Young People
range from small-scale qualitative research (with two infants) to a quantitative study
involving 50,000 people. The subjects include growing up under apartheid, a study of
how deaf infants communicate (in this case the researcher reveals in his commentary
that both his parents were deaf) and interviews with children in Bolivia. Some of the
commentaries are only two pages in length, others are as long as separate articles
(Aldgate). All of these commentaries contribute something valuable to our under-
standing and development of research with and for children. They tell us that proper
research with children is research that builds in children’s voices from the beginning,
consults with them during the process and makes room for children’s views during
dissemination. Furthermore, researchers with the humility to acknowledge that there
are areas of enquiry in which children might be more competent than adults, are
researchers who are likely to make a difference.
GARY...
SOCIAL & LEGAL STUDIES 15(1)
focused on other matters) and economics. This discussion injects a healthy focus on
structural and societal influences into the book. The pitfalls of not incorporating
children’s voices into research are well laid out in their third example which looks at
what happened to research into the use of child labour internationally. When children
were invited to comment on the research findings – which suggested that such (mis-)
use of labour be abolished – they protested that what they wanted was regulation of
conditions rather than to be denied the right to work to support themselves and/or
their families (p. 276). This is an interesting take on the perils facing liberal-minded
researchers who seek to change children’s lives for the better and involve them in the
research. An earlier chapter by Adele Jones also deals with this and points to the dele-
terious effects of a well-meaning boycott of goods manufactured using child labour
– thousands of child workers were dismissed, many to face destitution. Jones
concludes that by quoting the International Labour Organization (ILO) ‘unless
children are involved in interpreting findings then action arising out of research may
result in more harm than good’ (p. 127). The book makes the case for children’s
participation and cooperation throughout all stages of research.
The Reality of Research with Children and Young People is the second in the series
and provides a set of insights into the ‘kitchen’ of research. Phases of research such
as question formulation, the process and ethics of establishing access, devising
methodology and the writing-up phases are all explored by means of the authors of
published research providing a commentary that reflects on the progress of the
research from idea germination to publication. Things that are rarely included in a
final published version are discussed here: researcher motivation, difficulties experi-
enced in gaining access, the good ideas that failed to work in practice, and so on are
all uncovered in the commentaries.
The research studies in The Reality of Research with Children and Young People
range from small-scale qualitative research (with two infants) to a quantitative study
involving 50,000 people. The subjects include growing up under apartheid, a study of
how deaf infants communicate (in this case the researcher reveals in his commentary
that both his parents were deaf) and interviews with children in Bolivia. Some of the
commentaries are only two pages in length, others are as long as separate articles
(Aldgate). All of these commentaries contribute something valuable to our under-
standing and development of research with and for children. They tell us that proper
research with children is research that builds in children’s voices from the beginning,
consults with them during the process and makes room for children’s views during
dissemination. Furthermore, researchers with the humility to acknowledge that there
are areas of enquiry in which children might be more competent than adults, are
researchers who are likely to make a difference.
GARY...
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