CHILDREN AND BELONGING

THREE CORE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING HUMAN RIGHTS

1. RIGHTS ARE UNIVERSAL—APPLY TO ALL

2. Rights cannot be given up or taken away.

3. Rights cannot be divided up.

11 March 2013 Dr. Hanan Maoz, Tempus-DOIT Project, Landuau, Germany 2

• Right to Survive• The Right to be Safe

• The Right to Belong• The Right to Develop

Children’s Rights according to the Convention of Children’s Rights.

THE RIGHT TO BELONG

What Kinds of Groups Do You Belong to? List at Least 10.

How can we categorize these groups?

We categorize them according to how we can become members of these groups.

We can categorize them according to their role they play in our lives.

Think about your list of groups and think about the role they play in your lives and how you became a member of these groups.

Which groups do we “automatically” become a member of? family? neighborhood? religion? ethnic identity?Which groups do we belong to in another way?Do we all feel the same about belonging to these groups?Do these groups have the same meaning and obligations for each cultural group? For each individual?

FROM THE LIST OF 10 GROUPS IF YOU COULD ONLY BELONG TO 5 GROUPS, WHICH 5

GROUPS WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

What kinds of Groups were you willing to leave?

Why?

Why did you choose NOT to Leave those groups?

What role/s do those group play in your lives?

Sociologically have categorized Groups into two main groups: Primary Groups and Secondary Groups (Charles Cooley 1909, John Macionis 2002).

Characteristics of Primary Groups. • Small intimate groups• Strong solidarity, cohesion, • Focus of identify and social integration• Long-term diffused relationship

BELONGING IS BASIC TO HUMAN EXISTENCE

11 March 2013 Dr. Hanan Maoz, Tempus-DOIT Project, Landuau, Germany 8

The basic foundation to human identity (knowing where and who you belong to) and basic to physical and emotional well-being .

Psychological need for belonging

• Maslow 1968, Leary 1995, Bowlby 1965, and others.

• Basic human nature—the desire to form relationships.

• Research: Forming social bonds related to mental well-being, happiness and positive life outcomes ( McAdams 1986, Baumeister and Twenge 2003)

What Does belonging to a group give us (Functions)

Survival (Evolutionary)—Humans to survive need to belong to groups.

Security

Psychological needs—Maslow needs to belong one of his 8 human needs.

• Love

• Identity

• Although this varies among individuals, in general all humans have a need for supportive, caring. Loving human interaction---without this-- according to research leads to mental illness and depression.

Assess to Resources-

• Schools-education—one of the keys to mobility. Enables the individual to reach his potential and find

• Jobs,

Humans are a Social Animal

From bio-social and evolutional perspectives of the human social development---humans are a social animal and the process of their survival and development was based on belonging to a group.

Humans needed to cooperate in order to get food, protection and survive in their various environments.

Although the social evolution of humans has developed, the need to belong and participate in a group is still necessary for an individual’s survival and the continuity of the human species.

The nature of relationships have changed---but there is still a need to belong

WHERE DOES THE CHILD HAVE THE RIGHT TO BELONG TO?

11 March 2013 Dr. Hanan Maoz, Tempus-DOIT Project, Landuau, Germany 12

1. FAMILY

2. State (citizenship)-

3. Cultural and Social Groups

CHILDREN AND BELONGING

Family and children’s Rights to belong:

CRC: Recognizes the family “as the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well being of all its members and particularly children……

The child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.

THROUGH BELONGING TO A FAMILY A CHILD BEGINS TO MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD AROUND HIM.

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• Through “Belonging” of children—experiences security, love and safety.

• Through “Becoming” of a child with an understanding of “they”---learning to participate in units wider than the family. Connected with their achievements—talents, abilities, interacting with the world….

• Through “Being”---the child’s is provided with an environment which supports the development of his or her potential to the highest level

WHY DOES A CHILD HAVE THE RIGHT TO BELONG TO A FAMILY?

11 March 2013 Dr. Hanan Maoz, Tempus-DOIT Project, Landuau, Germany 15

Function of Family:• Provide and care for physical well being• Provide and care of emotional well being• Provides child with a sense of belonging---His or her first group. Primary• Link to wider society: neighborhood, cultural, ethnic and religious

networks, health institutions, educational institutions, etc.

Families essential role as nurturers of children (government needs to protect and assist families in fulfilling this role).

ARTICLE 7: Children have the right to know and as far as possible, to be cared for by their parents. ARTICLE 9: Children have the right to live with their parent(s) UNLESS it is bad for them.

WHAT HAPPENS TO CHILDREN WITHOUT FAMILIES?

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Adoption and Foster Care

Institutionalization

Street child

Exploitation of Children : Child Trafficking --child labour, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (another unit but all the result of not belonging to a functioning family).

THE RIGHT TO BE A REGISTERED AT BIRTH—FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT-(ARTICLE 7 OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

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ARTICLE 7: (Registration, name, nationality, care): All children have the right to a legally registered name, officially recognized by the government.Children has a right to a nationality (to belong to a country).

Belonging to a wider society.Having an Identity—a Name.Being protected—rights to health care and education

ARTICLE 8: (preservation of Identity): Children have the right to an identity. An official record of who they are. Governments should respect children’s right to a name, a nationality and family ties.

Secondary Groups

• Utilitarian in nature---means to an end.

Through Secondary groups—individuals can develop and reach their potential.

Gain access to resources of the society,

Secondary Groups, Membership and Access to Resources of the Society

Schools

Work

Clubs

Political Parties?

How do we become members of secondary groups?

How should we become members of secondary groups?

Inclusive versus exclusive characteristics in belonging to secondary groups.

BELONGING------BEING-------BECOMING

Belonging---secure, respect and reciprocity

• Belief that all children have capacity to succeed and contribute to our societies, regardless of diverse circumstances and abilities.

• Responsibility of having high expectations of every child in the classroom.

• Promoting multicultural education values, behaviors and structures in the classroom and schools.

• Respect for Diversity.

Pedagogical Issues and the Role of Educators

Partial list of sources

Kune, N. (2011). The Need to belong: rediscovering Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Paul H. Brookes Publishers

Lejeune, J and G. Mackie (2008). Social Dynamics of Abandonment of Harmful Practices: A new look at Theory

Sobsey, D. (2002). Exceptionality, Education, and Maltreatment. Exceptionality, vol. 10.no.1 2002, pp 29-46