e-space
Manchester Metropolitan University's Research Repository

    Seeking space for entanglements with young children in immanent material relationality

    Macrae, Birgit ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7756-8871, Barron, Ian and Taylor, Lisa (2022) Seeking space for entanglements with young children in immanent material relationality. Early Years: an international journal of research and development, 42 (4-5). pp. 543-556. ISSN 0957-5146

    [img]
    Preview
    Accepted Version
    Available under License In Copyright.

    Download (256kB) | Preview

    Abstract

    This paper explores haptic, affective, sensory and relational interconnections between a child (Erik) and objects, materials and a researcher-practitioner (Christina) at a nursery school in Manchester, United Kingdom (UK). In doing so, it draws upon a Post-humanist theoretical framework. Observational material was collected over the period of a school year. The discussion involves a diffractive three-way ‘thinking together’ conversation between the authors about what emerges as we attempt to listen to Erik’s voices. Improvisation in moments of physical sensation and action with objects, materials and Christina becomes a vehicle for tentative openings and immanent possibilities for all enfolded in the encounter. These are entangled, however, with national and international neoliberal expectations regarding literacy, numeracy and school readiness. We conclude that ‘dissenting from within’ is a necessary ethical practice if we are to offer something more optimistic for children’s becomings than acquiescence in the development of human economic capital.

    Impact and Reach

    Statistics

    Activity Overview
    6 month trend
    285Downloads
    6 month trend
    196Hits

    Additional statistics for this dataset are available via IRStats2.

    Altmetric

    Repository staff only

    Edit record Edit record