Australian Sociologist Prof Tobia Fattore teaches as Visiting Fellow at Leuphana Graduate School

What are the current leading issues in research on childhood and children’s well-being?

Prof Fattore: We are living in a time where children around the world are the targets of forms of violence, not only physical but symbolic. Despite childhood being depicted as precious time, a protected time of live, a time of life that is even considered sacrosanct, the reality for many of the world’s children is far from this. Yet, despite this reality, we also find that the idea of childhood innocence and childhood as a precious time of life is being weaponised politically. This idea of childhood is being used to advance policies that politically target groups who are often already marginalised, or as a political tactic to try and sustain the political legitimacy of those in power. Very concerningly this is used to suppress reasoned debate and political dialogue. 

This is occurring within a context where relationships between generations are vexed. We see this most evidently in the climate crisis, but also other challenges associated with what we can broadly describe as the problems of ‘social reproduction’ – issues like housing affordability, the value of education, the ability to find a permanent job and who will do the work of caring.

One of the key issues that researchers on childhood and children’s well-being need to examine, is the relationship between these factors – the politicisation of childhood, experiences of violence and social reproduction – and the effects this has on children and young people’s sense of well-being, their sense of identity and their hopes for the future. To do this, we need to study what children and young people think and feel, but also the conditions that shape their, and our own, values and sense of what is possible.

You offer a seminar on policy analyses. What can students and doctoral candidates expect from their participation?

Prof Fattore: Much of the academic writing in the policy sciences and on policy analysis, constructs the policy process – and the process of doing policy analysis – as structured and linear. However, the policy process is characterised by dialogue, compromise, relationship building, perseverance and hard work, sometimes to achieve only modest – but nonetheless meaningful – change. While this might sound gloomy, I find the potential of this more realistic understanding of the policy process exciting, especially for those undertaking research or interested in ideas – students and doctoral candidates for instance. 

Participants in my seminar can engage in an interactive process with others over policy topics, developing relationships, discussing what options are feasible, putting forward ideas to potentially form coalitions, not only with people within the university but beyond the academy. For a researcher, sometimes your work might not appear to have influence, but it is contributing to a pool of ideas that may at some point ‘land’ or be merged with other ideas to contribute to policy change.

We will take an interactive approach to exploring the realities of doing analysis of policy (that is, analysing policies as a source for research), analysis for policy (that is, doing research to influence policy processes) and policy design (that is, using research to design policy frameworks and tools). I hope that students will see these kinds of analysis, including esoteric analysis for their own academic research, as policy work. This is based on learning conceptual approaches to doing these kinds of policy analysis, which we will read about, discuss and put into practice, by analysing policy case studies and getting students to apply what they are learning to their own research interests. 

I will also be running some Question-and-Answer sessions with academics who have analysed specific policies to gain deeper insights into, for instance sexual health policy, ‘street-level bureaucrats’ who do the day-to-day work of implementing policy – in this case the use of drones for non-military purposes - and researchers who have used their research to influence policy and services (I’ll keep this as a surprise).

At Leuphana we strive to create an inspiring environment for early career researchers. According to your experience—what are key factors in to succeed in doing so?

Prof Fattore: … Leuphana creates a wonderful environment for early career researchers. The very collegial atmosphere and the opportunity to learn from and with other researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, are key in creating an inspiring environment. 

However, I would urge early career researchers to focus on developing their theoretical and methodological knowledge within their discipline. Strong disciplinary foundations are critical to developing expertise and a sense of academic self-identity. Also, disciplinary foundations are also key to being able to engage in cross and inter-disciplinary dialogue – the kinds of opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange offered by Leuphana in, for example, the higher degree research seminars. 

These seminars provide an opportunity for early career researchers to engage with others across theoretical and methodological differences. This kind of dialogue not only demonstrates the value of other perspectives, but the value of one’s own disciplinary approach. Engaging across difference is often confronting and uncomfortable, but engagement across different perspectives is certainly what is required to address current complex social, political and policy challenges. Simple answers are being promoted to these challenges to suppress debate and questioning. So, to maintain an openness to others, and to recognise the need to work with them is perhaps a radical but necessary act.