[ecrea] the impact of the commercial world on children's wellbeing

>THE IMPACT OF THE COMMERCIAL WORLD ON CHILDRENS WELL-BEING
>
>As part of ongoing commitments under the Childrens Plan, the Department for
>Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Culture, Media and
>Sport has commissioned an independent assessment of evidence relating to the
>impact of the commercial world on childrens well-being. The assessment is
>examining childrens commercial world in the broadest sense, and is not
>limited to a focus on advertising. It is taking account of the beneficial
>aspects of childrens engagement with commercial activities, as well as
>potentially problematic outcomes.
>
>A central part of the assessment is a series of literature reviews relating
>to key aspects of the field. We are looking for succinct, comprehensive and
>authoritative evaluations of the available research evidence, which will
>also draw attention to current gaps in knowledge. These reviews will draw
>upon evidence from the UK and abroad. We are now inviting bids to undertake
>reviews in the following areas identified below. The precise coverage of
>each review will be finally determined through negotiation between the
>successful applicants.
>
>Initial expressions of interest are invited by 28 May, and may be registered
>via the DCSF website at: www.dfes.gov.uk/research/
>
>
>1. Childrens and Families Commercial Engagement: Socio-Demographic Changes
>and Trends
>
>This review will provide a statistical analysis of broad social and
>demographic trends in childhood and family life, with particular reference
>to implications for childrens relationship with the commercial world. As
>far as possible, the review will map trends across a 50 year period; and it
>will need to consider aspects of social difference and inequality such as
>gender, social class and ethnicity, as well as 
>age differences among children.
>
>2. The Childrens Market: Characteristics, Trends and Strategies
>
>This review will map the changing nature of the childrens market, and the
>commercial strategies that are used by companies to target children, both as
>consumers in their own right and as a means of influencing adult consumers.
>While historical evidence may be difficult to locate, we hope that this
>review will include some historical comparison across at least a 50-year
>period.
>
>3. Consumption and the Ecology of Family Life: Change and Continuity
>
>This review will build on the broad trends identified in The Childrens and
>Families Commercial Engagement: Socio-Demographic Changes and Trends and
>The Childrens Market: Characteristics, Trends and Strategies reviews by
>offering a more inside account of the changing forms and characteristics
>of consumption behaviour within different types of families, and the ways in
>which these relate to broader relationships between family members. This is
>likely to include analysis of qualitative studies as well as available
>quantitative, empirical and survey research.
>
>4. The Effects, Uses and Interpretations of Commercial Messages and Activities
>
>This review will consider the substantial body of social-psychological
>research looking at the impact of the commercial world on the wellbeing of
>children and families and on peer group relationships; as well as work
>within fields such as anthropology, sociology and Media and Cultural Studies
>that has focused on how individuals engage with commercial messages and
>participate in consumer culture. It will need to address the theoretical and
>methodological differences between these two research traditions.

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Nico Carpentier (Phd)
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Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Free University of Brussels
Centre for Studies on Media and Culture (CeMeSO)
Pleinlaan 2 - B-1050 Brussels - Belgium
T: ++ 32 (0)2-629.18.56
F: ++ 32 (0)2-629.36.84
Office: 5B.401a
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Katholieke Universiteit Brussel - Catholic University of Brussels
Vrijheidslaan 17 - B-1081 Brussel - Belgium
&
Facultés Universitaires Saint-Louis
Boulevard du Jardin Botanique 43  - B-1000 Brussel - Belgium
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Sponsored links ;)
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European Communication Research and Education Association
Web: http://www.ecrea.eu
----------------------------
ECREA's Second European Communication Conference
Barcelona, 25-28 November 2008
http://www.ecrea2008barcelona.org/
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E-mail: (Nico.Carpentier /at/ vub.ac.be)
Web: http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~ncarpent/
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