<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This paper is based on qualitative research undertaken in West Nile Uganda and Coastal Kenya as part of a broader development project. A wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, parents, and early childhood practitioners were involved in sharing their perspectives of what life is like for young children (birth to age 8) in their homes, communities, and institutions. Data gathered were then brought back to community members to solicit action plans. The author brings to the data her reflections and lived experience as a mzungu (white person) brought to the region under the guise of development work and the ethical issues that ensued. It was clear that minority world discourses and conceptions of what constitutes a good life for children had permeated the value systems and goals of many adults in this majority world context. However, when challenged to think deeply about the systemic issues affecting their children, participants began to see the importance of finding ways to meld indigenous values, beliefs, and practices with the globalization agenda.</p></abstract>

This paper is based on qualitative research undertaken in West Nile Uganda and Coastal Kenya as part of a broader development project. A wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, parents, and early childhood practitioners were involved in sharing their perspectives of what life is like for young children (birth to age 8) in their homes, communities, and institutions. Data gathered were then brought back to community members to solicit action plans. The author brings to the data her reflections and lived experience as a mzungu (white person) brought to the region under the guise of development work and the ethical issues that ensued. It was clear that minority world discourses and conceptions of what constitutes a good life for children had permeated the value systems and goals of many adults in this majority world context. However, when challenged to think deeply about the systemic issues affecting their children, participants began to see the importance of finding ways to meld indigenous values, beliefs, and practices with the globalization agenda.

Weighed down by development: Reflections on early childhood care and education in East Africa

Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology, School of Early Childhood Education, Toronto, Canada

Journal of Pedagogy

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This paper is based on qualitative research undertaken in West Nile Uganda and Coastal Kenya as part of a broader development project. A wide range of...

Weighed down by development: Reflections on early childhood care and education in East Africa

Published Online: Aug 19, 2016

Page range: 39 - 58

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jped-2016-0003

Keywords
Uganda, majority world, indigeneity, globalization, early childhood

© by Darcey M. Dachyshyn

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Weighed down by development: Reflections on early childhood care and education in East Africa

Published Online: Aug 19, 2016

Page range: 39 - 58

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jped-2016-0003

KeywordsUganda, majority world, indigeneity, globalization, early childhood

© by Darcey M. Dachyshyn

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Uganda, majority world, indigeneity, globalization, early childhood