Reconfiguration of Parenthood
Political Agendas Entangling Everyday Family Life
Will be published approx. on 4. September 2026
264 pages
E-Book
978-1-040-49544-5 (ISBN)
Description
With the conditions of parenthood constantly changing, this book examines the reconfiguration of parenting as well as the political, institutional and personal conditions that play a role in its development.
Juhl and Westerling take a social psychological approach to the state of Denmark's early childhood education policy, and the influence of government legislature on everyday family life. With contributions from guest authors Hansen, Lyndelse & Stegeager, the volume seeks the answers to significant questions: What does the current political focus on early learning mean for parents and family living? How do transnational political agendas become meaningful in everyday life of parents and young children? How do new generations of parents come to understand themselves in the light of contemporary institutionalisation of parenthood? The discussion and answers to these questions shed light on the complexity of family practices and the perspectives of parents.
The book is relevant and insightful for researchers and scholars in family policy, parenthood and early childhood education and care. It can also be used by early childhood educators and care practitioners, as well as policymakers. Moreover, students at the postgraduate level who study education, psychology and sociology will also benefit from this volume.
Juhl and Westerling take a social psychological approach to the state of Denmark's early childhood education policy, and the influence of government legislature on everyday family life. With contributions from guest authors Hansen, Lyndelse & Stegeager, the volume seeks the answers to significant questions: What does the current political focus on early learning mean for parents and family living? How do transnational political agendas become meaningful in everyday life of parents and young children? How do new generations of parents come to understand themselves in the light of contemporary institutionalisation of parenthood? The discussion and answers to these questions shed light on the complexity of family practices and the perspectives of parents.
The book is relevant and insightful for researchers and scholars in family policy, parenthood and early childhood education and care. It can also be used by early childhood educators and care practitioners, as well as policymakers. Moreover, students at the postgraduate level who study education, psychology and sociology will also benefit from this volume.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
18 Tables, black and white; 1 Line drawings, black and white; 1 Illustrations, black and white
ISBN-13
978-1-040-49544-5 (9781040495445)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Pernille Juhl | Allan Westerling
Reconfiguration of Parenthood
Political Agendas Entangling Everyday Family Life
Book
approx. 09/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€185.50
Not yet published
Persons
Pernille Juhl is Professor in Social Psychology at Roskilde University, Denmark.
Allan Westerling is Associate Professor in Social Psychology at Roskilde University, Denmark.
Allan Westerling is Associate Professor in Social Psychology at Roskilde University, Denmark.
Content
Chapter 1. The changing conditions for parenthood
Pernille Juhl & Allan Westerling
Introduction
The intersection of state and family
Public services supporting families - the Danish version of a welfare model
Engaging with field(s) of research
Institutional agendas interweaving family life
The concept of family
Parental responsibilities and partnerships
Everyday life as the methodological point of departure for studying parenthood
Empirical basis for analyses
Contributions
Structure of the book
References
Chapter 2. Configurations of responsibility in Danish early childhood education and care policy
Pernelle Rose Hansen & Allan Westerling
Introduction
Analytical strategy and data
The first turn: introducing a national curriculum for ECEC
Changing the premise: from (just) care to (including) education
Language as a focus and parental involvement
The second turn: parents must support the ECEC learning agenda
Children's language development as a vehicle for increasing parental involvement
Changes in parental influence and responsibility: Parent Councils
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 3. Prioritising child-centredness: parental orientations in family life
Pernille Juhl
Introduction
Design and empirical material
Analytical framework
Orientations in everyday family life
'Family time' separated from domestic chores - putting the children first
Domestic chores and childcare as combined
Parental perspectives on sharing childcare
Being part of an extended family 'we'
Sharing the care with ECEC staff
Societal and institutional agendas taken up in everyday family life
Dealing with a body of information in familiy life
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 4. Negotiating boundaries in a shared care arrangement
Laerke Marie Lyndelse
Introduction
Theoretical and empirical framework
Methods and ethical considerations
Aligning parents through dialogue: introducing an institutional agenda
Negotiating boundaries: divergent understandings of ECEC and home settings
Boundary work: who has the right to determine the content of the packed lunch?
Considering parents' everyday lives in the institutional setting
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 5. Learning environments - a children's perspective
Simone Stegeager
Introduction
Analytical concepts: Learning, embodied orientation and materiality
Design and data
Introducing the children - Max and Vera
Setting the scene - the nursery group as a learning environment
Vera's first days - engaging socially and the safety of the stroller
The stroller as a gateway to the children's community
Max' first days - throwing himself into the nest
The nest and Max' possibilities to draw on experiences from home
Learning new movements to gain access to social activities with peers
Practicing getting up and down as a gateway to social activities
The meaning of social life for young children's participation
Mimicking -naming objects and asking, 'What's this?'
Learning to sweep the floor, clean and hand out lunchboxes
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 6. Parenting and social networks: involving grandparents
Allan Westerling
Mixing methods as an analytical strategy
Analytical concepts
Involving social networks in family practices
Contributing something extra to family life
Responsible for involvement
Negotiating boundaries
Parenting together with grandparents
Generational positions and lived biographies
The gendered pattern of grandparenting
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 7. Parenthood reconfigured
Allan Westerling & Pernille Juhl
The structure of the chapter
Key findings
The policy changes of ECEC - intensifying parental involvement
Risk - parental orientations reconfigured
Child-centredness at the intersection of family and welfare state
Conclusion
References
Index
Pernille Juhl & Allan Westerling
Introduction
The intersection of state and family
Public services supporting families - the Danish version of a welfare model
Engaging with field(s) of research
Institutional agendas interweaving family life
The concept of family
Parental responsibilities and partnerships
Everyday life as the methodological point of departure for studying parenthood
Empirical basis for analyses
Contributions
Structure of the book
References
Chapter 2. Configurations of responsibility in Danish early childhood education and care policy
Pernelle Rose Hansen & Allan Westerling
Introduction
Analytical strategy and data
The first turn: introducing a national curriculum for ECEC
Changing the premise: from (just) care to (including) education
Language as a focus and parental involvement
The second turn: parents must support the ECEC learning agenda
Children's language development as a vehicle for increasing parental involvement
Changes in parental influence and responsibility: Parent Councils
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 3. Prioritising child-centredness: parental orientations in family life
Pernille Juhl
Introduction
Design and empirical material
Analytical framework
Orientations in everyday family life
'Family time' separated from domestic chores - putting the children first
Domestic chores and childcare as combined
Parental perspectives on sharing childcare
Being part of an extended family 'we'
Sharing the care with ECEC staff
Societal and institutional agendas taken up in everyday family life
Dealing with a body of information in familiy life
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 4. Negotiating boundaries in a shared care arrangement
Laerke Marie Lyndelse
Introduction
Theoretical and empirical framework
Methods and ethical considerations
Aligning parents through dialogue: introducing an institutional agenda
Negotiating boundaries: divergent understandings of ECEC and home settings
Boundary work: who has the right to determine the content of the packed lunch?
Considering parents' everyday lives in the institutional setting
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 5. Learning environments - a children's perspective
Simone Stegeager
Introduction
Analytical concepts: Learning, embodied orientation and materiality
Design and data
Introducing the children - Max and Vera
Setting the scene - the nursery group as a learning environment
Vera's first days - engaging socially and the safety of the stroller
The stroller as a gateway to the children's community
Max' first days - throwing himself into the nest
The nest and Max' possibilities to draw on experiences from home
Learning new movements to gain access to social activities with peers
Practicing getting up and down as a gateway to social activities
The meaning of social life for young children's participation
Mimicking -naming objects and asking, 'What's this?'
Learning to sweep the floor, clean and hand out lunchboxes
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 6. Parenting and social networks: involving grandparents
Allan Westerling
Mixing methods as an analytical strategy
Analytical concepts
Involving social networks in family practices
Contributing something extra to family life
Responsible for involvement
Negotiating boundaries
Parenting together with grandparents
Generational positions and lived biographies
The gendered pattern of grandparenting
Concluding discussion
References
Chapter 7. Parenthood reconfigured
Allan Westerling & Pernille Juhl
The structure of the chapter
Key findings
The policy changes of ECEC - intensifying parental involvement
Risk - parental orientations reconfigured
Child-centredness at the intersection of family and welfare state
Conclusion
References
Index
