Universitetet I Oslo
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UNIVERSITETET I OSLO REKTOR Postboks 1072 Blindern 0316 Oslo Besøksadresse: Administrasjonsbygningen, 9. et. Telefon: +47 22 85 63 03 Telefaks: +47 22 85 44 42 A warm welcome to Oslo and to the University of Oslo The University of Oslo is proud to host the Childhoods 2005 Oslo conference. We are happy to collaborate with the Childwatch International Research Network (CWI) and the Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) in organizing this very important event. The main theme of the conference, “Children and Youth in Emerging and Transforming Societies”, is definitely of great interest far beyond the participating scientific community. New ethnic encounters, social change and globalization are burning issues and involve the international scene at large. It is an important research contribution to examine systematically how new childhoods and new lives for young people are created by rapid changes. The conference is in itself of great importance. We are happy to note that this event represents a continuation of Norwegian involvement and engagement in international research on children and youth. Therefore the conference is a proper official contribution to the centennial anniversary of our country’s independence 1905-2005. The University of Oslo is a member of the World University Network. The conference gives possibilities for the representatives of this network to develop new joint activities and to promote the exchange of scholars and information. I hope you will feel at home at our university and in our city during these long summer days. You are all heartily welcome to our campus. Arild Underdal Rector of the University of Oslo Childhoods 2005 Conference hosts Collaborating University of Oslo Departments and Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Education Institutions Childwatch International Research Network Scientific committee Department of Culture Studies, University of Oslo Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, The scientific committee consists of the following Department of Social Anthropology, persons from The University of Oslo, Norwegian University of Oslo, Social Research (NOVA), The Norwegian Centre for Department of Sociology and Human Geography, Child Research (NOSEB) and Childwatch International University of Oslo Research Network: Faculty of Education, University of Oslo Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo, Ola Stafseng, professor, Institute of Educational Research, Institute of Educational Research, University of Oslo, University of Oslo, National Institute for Consumer Research (SIFO) Elisabeth Backe Hansen, senior researcher, Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) The Norwegian Centre for Child Research (NOSEB) Harriet Bjerrum Nielsen, professor, Centre for Women's Studies and Gender Research, This conference has been made possible through University of Oslo substantial financial contributions from: Tone Bratteteig, associate professor, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ivar Frønes, professor, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation Department of Sociology and Human Geography, (Norad) University of Oslo The Research Council of Norway Jon-Kristian Johnsen, Director, The Norwegian Ministry of Children and Childwatch International Research Network Family Affairs Bente E. Hagtvet, professor, Faculty of Education, University of Oslo, Thanks to: Hanne Haavind, professor, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo SAS Scandinavian Airlines for being the Anne Trine Kjørholt, Director, Official Airline for Childhoods 2005 Oslo. The Norwegian Centre for Child Research (NOSEB) Ingrid Markussen, professor, For covering part of our printing Department of Culture Studies, cost. University of Oslo Per Egil Mjaavatn, senior researcher, Arts Council Norway Department of Education, Norwegian University For supporting the Children and Arts session and of Science and Technology, Trondheim (NTNU). facilitation of conference exhibitions. Lucy Smith, professor, Department of Private Law, University of Oslo Redd Barna Trond Waage, project leader, For supporting the session on Children and Peace. Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo Unni Wikan, professor, Conference Secretariat Department of Social Anthropology, University of Oslo, The secretariat has been based at Trygve Wyller, professor, University of Oslo Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo, Faculty of Education Randi Wærdahl, Head of Secretariat, P.O. Box 1161 University of Oslo N-0318 Oslo, Norway E-mail: [email protected] Randi Wærdahl, Head of Secretariat Jannicke Hillestad Hatlen, Conference Coordinator Irene Prestøy Lie, Conference Coordinator 2 Childhoods 2005 Childwatch International Research Network (Childwatch) is a global, non-profit, nongovernmental network of institutions that collaborate in child research for the purpose of improving children’s rights and well being around the world. It was founded in 1993 as a response from the research community to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention is the basis for the Network’s common agenda. Childwatch is an international research network open efforts to advocate for policy change based on to membership by institutions and associations research and documentation. involved in interdisciplinary research on issues relating to children’s development and well being and • Childwatch is forcefully and coherently arguing the promotion of child rights. importance of interdisciplinary child research. Childwatch International aims to create a better • Childwatch is providing an opportunity for sharing knowledge base for development of policies and information, experiences and developing joint practises crucial to the implementation of child rights. research. The network consists of 45 interdisciplinary child • Childwatch is actively promoting collaboration to research institutions from all over the world. The Key produce quality research on core Child Rights Institutions represent a diversity of organizations and issues. thematic foci, ranging from smaller organizations doing mainly action oriented research projects to • Childwatch is building capacity in interdisciplinary major research institutions with a large range of child research. theory and action oriented research activities. Common for all is an inter-disciplinary approach to Activities supported by Childwatch produce research child research, grounded on a holistic understanding that is relevant to the local context and reflects good of the child. research practice. Members of Childwatch are: Childwatch International, P.O. Box 1132 Blindern, • Carrying out research on and with children N-0318 OSLO, Norway Committed to a common agenda for improvement Tel: +47 22 85 43 50, Fax: +47 22 85 50 28 of children’s rights, development and well-being E-mail: [email protected] • Childwatch supports initiatives and collaborative www.childwatch.uio.no 3 Childhoods 2005 The Centennial of Norway 2005 In 2005 Norway celebrates the peaceful dissolution of student association of University of Oslo played a the union with Sweden in 1905. strong role in the peaceful solutions, and the thanks from Government and Parliament at the Autumn was In 2005 a new legislation for the University with paragraphs on - a hundred years will have passed since Norway gai- student democracy for the first time, against protests ned full sovereignty from the professors. - Norway will have had diplomatic relations with a number of countries for a hundred years The new Norwegian nation continued a peaceful - the Norwegian Royal Family will have served their emphasis on the welfare and educational platforms for country for a hundred years children and youth, and the celebrations of the - the Norwegian Foreign Service will have existed for National Day with the youngest in street demonstrati- a hundred years ons – and not arms and weapons. When Norway was occupied during World War II, the ages of the resis- The dissolution of the union was an important milesto- tance movement resulted in a critical comment from ne in the development of Norway as we see it today. the exile Government about a “child crusade” in the When the University of Oslo emphasizes children and first years. Nevertheless, we also celebrate the 60 youth at this historical moment, we also include a years anniversary of the liberation with a focus on the piece of university history for the years of the union other side 1814-1905. The National Day on May 17th refers back of the coin here at the conference: The children of the to the birth of the Constitution in 1814, and during the war who did not experience the “peace” after 1945. 1830s our university students as rebellions started to These ambiguities about children, youth, nation buil- celebrate this day, in the beginning also in conflicts ding, peace and war – health, welfare and human with military and police forces sent by the Swedish- rights are therefore some of the key issues on the Norwegian king. In the following decades the street agenda for this conference. Our idea has been and is demonstrations by children and youth developed into that this Centennial should invite for a global research a peaceful tradition of celebration. discussion on such vital questions in the lives of chil- dren and youth worldwide. In the last period of the union Norway went through a strong modernization, also in education, culture and Ola Stafseng, youth associations. During the difficult year 1905 the on behalf of the Organizing Committee 4 Contents