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BJSW Advance Access originally published online on August 22, 2006
British Journal of Social Work 2007 37(8):1305-1317; doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcl031
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.

Giving Voice to Black Children: An Analysis of Social Agency

Mekada Graham

Dr. Mekada Graham is Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, University of Oklahoma, USA. She has written and researched widely on social work and black communities including African-centred approaches to social work. Her current research interests are childhood studies and children in public care. She is currently writing a book entitled Black Issues in Social Work and Social Care to be published by University of Bristol/Policy Press in 2007.

Correspondence to Dr. Mekada Graham, School of Social Work, Schusterman Center, 4502 E. 41st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74135, USA. E-mail: Mekada.J.Graham-1{at}ou.edu


  Abstract

In the last decade, a new sociology of childhood has made important contributions to our understanding of children as social agents shaping their daily lives in various contexts and situations. Although social difference and diverse childhood experiences hold a central place in these new paradigms, several researchers have noted the neglect of black1 children in mainstream research agendas, with little attention paid to their lived experiences in social institutions. This conceptual paper begins with a brief discussion exploring the intersections between black children, marginalization and childhood studies. The following section reviews ongoing concerns implicated in the high presence of black children in public care. By applying theories about childhood to children in public care generally and specifically to black children, this paper advocates participatory approaches to incorporate new initiatives in working with black children in public care.

Keywords: social agency, marginalization, black children, voice


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