Reconfiguring the Natures of Childhood

This insightful book explores new perspectives on childhood and nature, encouraging a critical reassessment of traditional narratives and practices in early education.

In Reconfiguring the Natures of Childhood, Affrica Taylor offers a thought-provoking exploration of how childhood and nature are perceived and taught. The book encourages readers to shift their understanding of these concepts, urging a critical examination of the naturalist narratives prevalent in popular culture and early childhood education. By challenging conventional views, Taylor invites a fresh perspective that recognizes the complexity of childhood experiences in relation to the natural world.

Adopting a common worlds framework, the author presents various nuanced ways of understanding early childhood. This approach redefines childhood as messy and implicated, rather than pure and innocent, and emphasizes the importance of context, suggesting that childhood should be viewed as situated and differentiated. Furthermore, Taylor argues for recognizing childhood as entangled within real-world relationships, rather than isolated in a separate space, thus highlighting the interconnectedness of children with their environments.

Throughout the text, Taylor employs an innovative and interdisciplinary approach that not only challenges long-standing beliefs about childhood but also enriches the field of childhood studies. The insights provided in Reconfiguring the Natures of Childhood are relevant on a global scale, making it a significant resource for scholars, postgraduate students, and educators in early childhood settings. This book is an essential read for anyone interested in the evolving discourse surrounding childhood and its relationship with nature.