Children’s rights to make their voices heard and listened to : communication with politicians in and through art as sustainable development

• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (article 12) states that children have a right to make their voices heard, and to be listened to. Other policy documents at several levels underline the right to freedom of speech through various forms of expression, as well as young peoples’ right to express themselves through art. To organize educational situations where children get the chance to develop and explore artistic forms of expression at the same time, in ways where their ideas and imaginations are taken care of in processes of dwelling, demands flexible and norm- challenging pedagogues. As an example of how Anthropocene discourses of education can be challenged, and instead involve children in sustainable collective engagement, a project where children communicate with politicians in and through art will state example for our contribution to the conference. The aim of the study presented is to explore and describe how 10 years old children’s voices can be heard and listened to in communication with politicians regarding issues that engage them, from planet wealth to after school activities. The study is based on a project arranged by a municipal art school, performed in schools, where Kulturverket, a group of artists and pedagogues work together with children in different art expressions. To come close to the educational practice, interviews with Kulturverket was performed, and art works as well as presentations of the project in social media was gathered. The material was analysed in a phenomenological, hermeneutical manner. Hanna Arendt’s theories regarding democracy were used to understand mutual becoming in communicative processes, and to deepen the understanding of aesthetical experience, Michel Dufrenne was related to as well. The results show the importance of identifying, treating, and expressing ideas in interplay with art, and how such educational situations demands imagination, collaboration, flexibility, openness, and courage. To make children’s voices heard and listened to by politicians in and through art constitute one thread in a sustainable social network beyond the Anthropocene – towards “social sustainable development and courage, culture, art, and human rights”. 

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Annan humaniora (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Other Humanities (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogiskt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogical Work (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Arts education

Children’s rights

Education for Sustainable Development

Democracy

Arendt

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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