Providing a wide spectrum of views, the authors explore the fine line between normalized physical punishment and illegal or unacceptable physical and emotional abuse of children. It builds on the emerging field of research that provides opportunities for children to speak for themselves about their views and experiences.Provides observations from children, professionals and several generations from within individual familiesDiscusses the power of language used by parents, professionals and the media to describe physical punishmentReflects upon the status of children in societies that sanction their physical punishment, motivations and justifications for its use, perceptions of its effectiveness, and its impactPresents a combination of personal, social, legal, and language factors which provide significant new insights and suggest ways to move forward
Author(s): Bernadette J. Saunders, Chris Goddard
Edition: 1
Publisher: Wiley
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 286
Physical Punishment in Childhood: The Rights of the Child......Page 1
Contents......Page 9
Acknowledgements......Page 11
1: Introduction......Page 13
2: Childhood and physical punishment in historical perspective......Page 23
3: Legal responses to physical punishment......Page 37
4: Conducting sensitive and ethical research with children and adults......Page 61
5: Experiences of physical punishment at home, at school and in public places......Page 75
6: Public and professional perceptions of the effectiveness of physical punishment......Page 105
7: The subjugation of children through language and physical punishment......Page 131
8: The effects of physical punishment......Page 153
9: The persistence of physical punishment......Page 177
10: The morality of physical punishment......Page 215
11: An ideal childhood......Page 241
References......Page 247
Index......Page 273
