ERIC Number: EJ818146
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jun
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0332-3315
EISSN: N/A
What Does It Mean to Be Irish? Children's Construction of National Identity
Waldron, Fionnuala; Pike, Susan
Irish Educational Studies, v25 n2 p231-251 Jun 2006
Ideas relating to identity and belonging are central to the public discourse around citizenship that has emerged in Ireland and internationally in recent years. One thread of that discourse relates to the role of national identity in societies that are increasingly diverse and multicultural. In view of the growing importance of citizenship education, understanding children's ideas about national identity is vital if educators are to engage children in the construction of an hospitable, critical and reflective citizenry. This research was undertaken in two phases during 2003 and 2004. Participating in the study were 119 children, drawn from a range of social contexts. Premised on a social constructivist view of children and childhood, the research drew on participative and democratic methodologies. While the study suggests the existence of an essentialist conception of Irish identity, it also demonstrates the capacity and willingness of children to engage in critical reflection on their constructions of Irishness. (Contains 4 images and 9 notes.)
Descriptors: Social Influences, Nationalism, Citizenship, Citizenship Education, Foreign Countries, Identification (Psychology), Ethnicity, Elementary School Students, Cultural Influences, Irish, Stereotypes, Social Values
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A