184 pages
228mm x 145mm
ISBN-10: 1 85856 242 2
ISBN-13: 978 185856 242 1
Published October 2001

The Citizenship curriculum has been drawn up without regard for or research evidence about the views and experience of primary school children. Not Aliens reports on research with 7-11 year olds in inner city schools whose sophisticated discourse suggests that the official agenda underestimates their real concerns and the level of debate that is possible with young children.

Using their own voices to show their knowledge and experience, Not Aliens challenges views about childhood innocence, particularly of working class children.

It demonstrates that these children have clear and often strong views about many issues with which Citizenship/PSHE is concerned - about family and the politics of family life, about gender and sex, identity and racism, economic and social inequality.

Not Aliens has a radical, emancipatory purpose for teachers and for children. It is designed to help teachers critique bland, minimalist interpretation of the concepts of citizenship, so that they can mediate an empowering curriculum for children. The final chapters of Not Aliens move on from discussing the implications of the children's transcripts to offer practical ideas on teaching about controversies, moral judgements about 'right and wrong', and about the economic underpinnings of society.

Not Aliens has an extensive resource list, including teaching material, in support of all the major issues addressed in the book.

Hillary Claire is a historian and a teacher at the University of North London. Author of the acclaimed Reclaiming our Pasts, she brings to her new work her commitment to equality and her academic and pedagogic experience.

'Not Aliens sets high ambitions and Claire achieves the aims for the target audience. Beyond the overt Citizenship focus there is an understanding of children and education that is holistic, participatory and refreshing in the current education climate which deserves inclusion in any course related to work with children. ...Not Aliens is an interesting, thought-provoking, evocative read for anyone who cares about children and society.' - British Journal of Educational Studies

'...a valuable practical handbook for teachers, offering ways in which key issues and concepts can be introduced into the curriculum and suggesting appropriate learning resources to support them.' - Citizenship, Social and Economics Education