Geography of Young People

This work traces some of the changing scientific and societal notions of what it is to be a young person, and argues that there is a need to rethink how we view childhood spaces, child development and the politics of growing up. The book challenges popular myths that evoke general notions of childhood as a natural stage in the development towards adulthood. Alternatively, contemporary psychoanalytic and feminist theories provide less structured perspectives, which value the embodiment and local embeddedness of young people. In addition, the book argues that new theories need to articulate the interdependent relations between material societal transformations and the social constructions of childhood. The book attempt to bring coherency to the growing field of children's geographies by arguing that although most of it does not prescribe solutions to the moral assault against young people, it nonetheless offers appropriate insights into difference and diversity, and how young people are constructed. Enduring throughout is the conviction that a focus on children's geographies is important because it articulates how places, institutions and mechanistic notions of justice teach young pe

This book is likely to be a key text for those interested in studying, teaching and researching the geographies of childhood. - Progress in Human Geography 'A useful book for anyone interested in exploring the psychoanalytic and feminist theories which challenge general notions of childhood' - Gender, Place & Culture, This book is likely to be a key text for those interested in studying, teaching and researching the geographies of childhood. - Progress in Human Geography What Aitken does well is to highlight the social-spatial processes embedded in the moral foundations in the institutions of thought and theory - Mary E Thomas, Environment and Planning 'A useful book for anyone interested in exploring the psychoanalytic and feminist theories which challenge general notions of childhood' - Gender, Place & Culture

Stuart C Aitken