Although children have always been active members of our society, their contributions are often overlooked. … Children have been active politically though their participation takes various forms. Since the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child in 1989, child rights advocates have begun to create opportunities for children to participate in formal political processes through international conferences, and national children’s parliaments, and even in municipal youth councils influencing budgets, programs, and policies (Guerra 2005, Hart 2008). … We must be critical to connect the changes that children are able to make in their communities, as well as the challenges they face in having their views taken into account on issues that affect them, with the social, cultural, political, and economic forces that swirl at nation, regional, and global levels (Answell 2009, Hart 2008, Katz 2004).
February 2, 2014
Children’s and Young People’s Participation in Political Spaces
Jen Tang
Jennifer Tang is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Environmental Psychology program, working on issues related to the promotion of children’s participation and participatory democracy. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Security and Peacebuilding from Royal Roads University in Canada. Currently, her work is focused on children’s participation in community and municipal level governance. She has taught courses in Human Development, Human Sexuality, and the Psychology of Sex and Gender Roles at Hunter College and the Pratt Institute. Currently, she is a Research Associate at the Children’s Environments Research Group and a Writing Fellow at Hunter College in New York City.
Research Interests: Children’s rights, children’s participation, community governance, participatory democracy, young people’s political engagement, young people and social movements, children in urban settings, child-friendly research methods, participatory research, participatory action research, tools and technologies for democratic participation (ICT4G).
Posts by Jen Tang
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From worried to inspired: Reflecting on the meaning and practice of participation
December 5, 2014
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Children’s rights in New York City, the next 25 years
November 21, 2014
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Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the UNCRC
November 20, 2014
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Orienting my research
September 25, 2014
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Orienting my research
September 25, 2014
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