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Research Handbook on Childhoodnature pp 1–13Cite as

Unearthing Withling(s): Children, Tweezers, and Worms and the Emergence of Joy and Suffering in a Kindergarten Yard

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Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

Abstract

While there have been several attempts to account for relationships between humans and nonhuman animals in the social sciences and humanities, the discipline of education has, until recently, steered clear from the so-called animal turn. Drawing on post-anthropocentric theorizations, we introduce a concept of withling(s) and develop it empirically in the context of early years education. In particular, we zoom into one practice of science education at a kindergarten in order to consider what kind of child-animal relations are and might become invoked. Our concept of withling(s) is not an a priori positive relatings, as during the dance between earthworms, pupils, teachers, and technologies, both joy and suffering are invoked simultaneously.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Tuure Tammi, Pauliina Rautio, Riitta-Marja Leinonen & Riikka Hohti

Authors
  1. Tuure Tammi
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  2. Pauliina Rautio
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  3. Riitta-Marja Leinonen
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  4. Riikka Hohti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pauliina Rautio .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Southern Cross University School of Education, Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia

    Amy Cutter-Mackenzie

  2. Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University Centre for Educational Research, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

    Karen Malone

  3. Department of Education, University of Bath Department of Education, Bath, United Kingdom

    Elisabeth Barratt Hacking

Section Editor information

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Pauliina Rautio

  2. Swinbourne University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Tracy Young

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Tammi, T., Rautio, P., Leinonen, RM., Hohti, R. (2018). Unearthing Withling(s): Children, Tweezers, and Worms and the Emergence of Joy and Suffering in a Kindergarten Yard. In: Cutter-Mackenzie, A., Malone, K., Barratt Hacking, E. (eds) Research Handbook on Childhoodnature . Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51949-4_68-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51949-4_68-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-51949-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-51949-4

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