Rethinking Spatial Socialisation as a Dynamic and Relational Process of Political Becoming

Abstract

In this paper, I set out to bring early political development back to the research agenda in childhood studies as well as to the social scientific inquiry more generally. Proposing a geographical approach, I seek to develop the concept of spatial socialization as a dynamic and relational process through which political becoming takes place. Contrary to conventional conceptions, I present children as participants rather than as recipients of socialization--active agents in their everyday environments alongside their adult authorities, institutions, the media, and their communities as a whole. Moreover, drawing from phenomenological theorizations of subjectivity, politics and space, the employed approach problematizes the worlds in which political socialization takes place. I argue that the dynamic processes of socialization constitute the spatial realities where children and youth lead their as much as they constitute the youthful subjects they involve.

Living Together in the Topological Home

“…The situated knowledge constituted in this process is directed by 'banal socialization' that is rooted in the practice of familial life with multiple more and less explicit underpinnings, directions and aims (cf. Katz, 2006;Haldrup et al, 2006;Slavtcheva-Petkova and Mihelj, 2013;Kallio, 2014a). Paraphrasing Secor (2013, p.440 and the subject are distributed, splayed out, a Möbius surface that encircles its own limit".…”

Residents, customers or citizens? Tracing the idea of youthful participation in the context of administrative reforms in Finnish public administration

“…We use the concept of political agency to refer to the above-mentioned possibilities for the children and young people to "act out" their citizenship in ways suitable for them (cf. Kallio, 2012aKallio, , 2014Kallio & Häkli, 2011b;Kallio et al, forthcoming).…”

“…Previously, we have studied institutional and civic perspectives, policy rhetoric, strategies and related policy processes of administrative developments pertaining to urban planning, and participation in municipal, national and international contexts (e.g. Häkli, 1998Häkli, , 2009Bäcklund, 2007;Bäcklund & Mäntysalo, 2010;Faehnle et al, 2011;Kallio, 2014a, 2014b;Kallio, 2012aKallio, , 2012bKallio, , 2014Kallio & Häkli, 2011a, 2011b, 2014 forthcoming; Kanninen et al, 2013). The tool is a simplified theoretical construction of how the motive for arranging participation, the goal of participation and the role of the inhabitant are construed in different steering modes.…”

“…12 concerning the degree to which they can be seen to define significant places and important issues for inhabitants in general (e.g. Bäcklund, 2007;Hajer, 2003;Kallio et al, forthcoming;Lawless & Pearson, 2012;Leino & Laine, 2012). Since normative steering highlights the role of elected representatives in bringing out the inhabitants' point of view and demands depoliticized -expert-based -planning knowledge, there is no specific demand for residents' direct participation within planning practices.…”

“…Therefore professionals and advocates from associations can be used to represent them" (essay) (cf. Kallio, 2014). Here, for practical reasons the societal plurality is eventually reduced into representative opinions, so that the voices of the represented can be said to "have become heard".…”