'Because we want your family to keep flourishing’: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Online Parenting Educational Materials
Date
2015-08-24
Authors
Reynolds, Teila
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Abstract
In the 2012 Families First Agenda, the Government of British Columbia outlined the provision of ‘evidence-based’ parenting information as part of its official commitment to support vulnerable families. This thesis investigates and analyzes the particular views and assumptions about parenting responsibility and child development in a selection of web-based parenting resources endorsed by the BC government. Study findings show that parenting education materials promote a universalized account of childrearing that privileges expert-driven knowledge, largely drawn from Euro-Western frameworks. The examined materials are also found to present a view of parents as responsible for monitoring and mitigating personal and environmental stressors. Discussion of these features considers the ways in which parenting education materials marginalize the knowledge and practices of diverse families, and conceal oppressive structures that perpetuate social and economic inequalities. Implications drawn from the findings contribute to a discussion of more inclusive and collaborative approaches to parenting support and education.
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Keywords
Parenting Education, Child Development, Critical Discourse Analysis