Doing Foucault in Early Childhood Studies

The theories and analyses of post-structural thinkers such as Michel Foucault can seem a long way from practice in early childhood services. In recent years, however, many early childhood researchers and practitioners have found this work important and this fascinating book brings together a range of research and case-studies showing how teachers and researchers have brought post-structuralism to the classroom. The book covers such issues as: - becoming post-structurally reflective about truth - mapping classroom meanings - tactics of rhizoanalysis - becoming again in critically-knowing communities. Case-studies and examples taken from real situations are used and will be of interest to anyone studying or researching early childhood practice and policy.

Glenda Mac Naughton is Associate Professor in Early Childhood and Director of the Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood, Faculty of Education, the University of Melbourne.

1. Journeys to activism: becoming poststructurally reflective about truth 2. Confronting a 'will to truth': troubling truths of the child poststructurally 3. Mapping classroom meanings: engaging the tactics of deconstruction locally 4. Deliberately practicing for freedom: tactics of rhizoanalysis 5. Seeking the 'Otherwise': re-meeting relations of 'race' in early childhood classroom histories 6. Imagining professional learning for a change: becoming again in critically knowing communities