This paper aims to explore, and possibly expand, the theoretical ground for examining issues of childhood and the rights of the child. The ambition in the paper is to bring sociology of childhood together with discourse theory and discuss whether, and in that case how, such an approach could provide a base for investigating new questions in research in children's rights in education. Sociology of childhood offers a theoretical approach in research into childhood and issues of children's rights in which the child and childhood are regarded as socially and culturally constructed, rather than being described from natural and universal processes of development. When the child and its position in society are understood as constituted in a specific and culturally determined context, children can be analysed as a social category with analyzable relations to other social categories. Sociology of childhood has accordingly provided a way to problematize the complexity that surrounds the position of the child in various settings (James and James 2004, James, Jenks and Prout 1998, Mayall 2002). Discourse theory developed from the linguistic turn within the social sciences, which changed the analytic interest by moving from the object of language to language itself (Rorty 1967). Discourse theory accentuates the significance of language for our knowledge and for claims for truth and authority. Language is accordingly not understood as a passive vehicle for human thoughts and information exchange, but rather as the site in which agreements and/or struggles over how to give meaning to and learn about what we call reality take place (Englund and Quennerstedt 2008, Laclau and Mouffe 1985). Therefore, research with a discourse theoretical approach is directed towards examinations of how conceptualisations and the use of language construct and give meaning to societal phenomena by providing the ‘real’ and ‘normal’ perspective (Quennerstedt forthcoming). The paper will highlight both what can be gained from merging the two theoretical approaches, and what might constitute inconsistencies or problems in bringing sociology of childhood together with discourse theory.

The paper will draw first on relevant literature in both fields, and second on a review of recent articles that express theoretical interest in both sociology of childhood and discourse theory. Special interest will be directed towards detecting shared and contrasting basic points of departure within the two theoretical traditions – for example concerning ontological and epistemological assumptions.

The paper aims to contribute to theory development within research of children’s rights in education, and is expected to inspire to and suggest new and theoretically solid ways of approaching issues of children’s rights in educational settings.