A Critical Discourse Analysis
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Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Doctoral Applied Arts 2011 The Discursive Construction of Irish Early Childhood Education and Care Policy: a Critical Discourse Analysis Rachel Kiersey Technological University Dublin Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/appadoc Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons Recommended Citation Kiersey, R. (2011) The Discursive Construction of Irish Early Childhood Education and Care Policy: a Critical Discourse Analysis. Doctoral Thesis. Technological University Dublin. doi:10.21427/D77K54 This Theses, Ph.D is brought to you for free and open access by the Applied Arts at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License The discursive construction of Irish early childhood education and care policy: A critical discourse analysis by Rachel A. Kiersey BSocSc A thesis submitted to the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) in fulfilment of the requirements for the Award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) College of Arts and Tourism School of Social Sciences and Law Dublin Institute of Technology Supervisor: Prof. Nóirín Hayes Advisory supervisor: Dr. Brian O’Neill 30th November 2011 Abstract Conceptual distinctions between care and early childhood education have influenced and reinforced the construction of knowledge about the early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy area. Discursive constructions in policy texts permeate wider society and become embodied in the broad social domain as “truths”, establishing the status quo about how social issues are perceived. Close scrutiny of the knowledge constructed about key concepts within Irish ECEC policy texts between 1998 and 2008 can shed some light on the ideological perspectives shaping the truths about ECEC in Irish society. This research used a critical discourse analysis (CDA) methodology to investigate policy texts; involving the undertaking of a thorough linguistic textual analysis, while also considering the wider political and social context of these texts. Using the CDA method this thesis aimed to understand the conceptual construction of ECEC policy, focusing in on how children’s rights are both constructed and obstructed within the truths known about ECEC and how this impacts on a rights based construction of policy. Recent ECEC policy in Ireland has developed in a reactive fashion, paying lip service to the rights of children while more often serving the needs of others. Findings show that the key knowledge constructions within Irish ECEC policy shape early education as subordinate to childcare; thus within this notion of childcare, the provision of places is more urgent than reconceptualising the ECEC sector. The concept of parental choice, and meeting parent’s needs and rights, influences policy more so than the rights or needs of children; children are predominantly constructed as in need of early education as preparation for formal schooling. The concept of rights is subordinated to that of needs; targeting has been the favoured policy action as opposed to the provision of universal services. While language of rights, universality and more joined-up policy approaches have permeated the linguistic construction of policy texts, there has been no significant shift within i understandings of ECEC or children’s rights in the wider policy realm. Without a shift in the conceptual understanding of ECEC policy, a children’s rights focus will remain underdeveloped. ii Declaration I certify that this thesis which I now submit for examination for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others, save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. This thesis was prepared according to the regulations for postgraduate study by research of the Dublin Institute of Technology and has not been submitted in whole or in part for another award in any other institution. The work reported on in this thesis conforms to the principles and requirements of the Institute’s guidelines for ethics in research. The Institute has permission to keep, lend or copy this thesis in whole or in part, on condition that any such use of the material of the thesis be duly acknowledged. Signature __________________________________ Date _______________ iii Acknowledgements I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks to the people who helped make this research study a success. Firstly thanks to my Supervisors Professor Nóirín Hayes and Dr. Brian O’Neill, their support, guidance and sharing of knowledge was integral to the completion of this study. Thanks are also due to all other faculty members and others within DIT whose paths crossed with mine, particularly the support of the Discourse Analysis Group (DAG) which was significant in the early stages of my work. I would also like to thank Professor Gregory Marston for his email communication with me, in the very early stages of the study, which helped me to better understand aspects of the CDA approach. I am grateful for the financial support from IRCHSS and also the subsequent funding from DIT, through the Fiosraigh scheme. I would also like to acknowledge my colleagues on the wider IRCHSS funded project on ECEC in Ireland, Early Childhood Education and Care in Ireland: Towards a Rights Based Policy Approach, Nóirín, Siobhan Bradley and Bernie O’Donoghue Hynes, and to Ann Marie Halpenny who also contributed to the project team. I am grateful also for the observances and advice received following two separate presentations to the IRCHSS Advisory Board for the Project1. Many thanks are also due to all of the Postgrads in Room 323, who were always there for support, friendship and as sounding boards, particularly Cathy and Kate. Thanks also to my good friend Maria for embarking on her own PhD journey concurrently with mine; we shared our similar and not so similar experiences and knew when to change the subject!! This study would never have been completed without the support and 1 The members of the IRCHSS Advisory Board for the Project were: Dr John Bennett, Professor Peter Moss (Institute of Education, University of London), Dr Valerie Richardson (School of Applied Social Science, University College Dublin), Dr Maura Adshead (Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Limerick), Dr Jean Whyte (Children’s Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin) and Maria Corbett (Children’s Rights Alliance). iv patience of all my friends and family; particularly my parents, Kevin and Trisha, who have always encouraged and supported my quest for knowledge and education. Last but not least this work is dedicated to the very important men in my life. I am so grateful to my wonderful partner Paul for all his immense love and support, and micro management of me when necessary, throughout this process. Thanks also to my son Ruaidhrí, for making the transition from child to teenager throughout the course of this study reminding me indeed that life, in all its guises, was continuing outside of the confines of my work. v Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations as used in this Thesis Agenda References to the Agenda document are shorthand for the policy document The Agenda for Children’s Services: A Policy Handbook. CAQDAS Computer assisted qualitative data analysis software CDA Critical discourse analysis CECDE The Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education Childcare Childcare predominantly refers to care services, which are often private and market based, tailored towards the needs of working parents covering children aged from birth to twelve years. Childcare Strategy References to the Childcare Strategy are shorthand for the policy document the National Childcare Strategy: Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Childcare. Children’s Strategy References to the Children’s Strategy are shorthand for the policy document the National Children’s Strategy: Our Children - Their Lives. Collocation A linguistic term used in critical discourse analyses which means the regular or habitual pattern of co-occurrence between particular words in a text (Fairclough, 2001, 2003). Commission Report References to the Commission Report are shorthand for the policy document Strengthening Families for Life: The Report of the Commission on the Family. vi Convention Refers to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child CRC The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child CRA Children’s Rights Alliance Critical discourse analysis A research method which is predominantly concerned with exploring the language of discourses; CDA has a particular focus on how social relations, identity and power are constructed through written and spoken texts. Critical discourse analyses investigate the language of texts while also considering the wider political and social context of these texts. DCYA The Department of Children and Youth Affairs which formally became a full ministry and government department on the 9th March 2011 under a new government; any texts published post March 2011 are referred to as authored by the DCYA accordingly. DEIS Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools Programme Early Education In Irish social policy early education predominantly refers to services which provide educational interventions for