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The Ambiguity of the Child's ‘Voice’ in Social Research

Sirkka Komulainen

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, London

This article addresses the ambiguity of the child's ‘voice’ in social research. Drawing on a recent research project on young children's communication difficulties, the author argues that the currently popular discourse on ‘listening to children’ is beset with practical and ethical ambiguities that result from the ‘socialness’ of human interaction, discourses and practices. In particular, the author argues that the notion of the child's ‘voice’ is, despite being a powerful rhetorical device, socially constructed. This article illustrates and discusses ambiguities that arose from fieldwork in two ‘special needs’ settings, considering their epistemological implications for social research, and offers reflexivity as a strategy for ethical research conduct.

Key Words: ambiguity • childhood • communication • social construction • ‘voice’

Childhood, Vol. 14, No. 1, 11-28 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0907568207068561
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