Stefanie Steinbeck Title : Representation and inclusion of children's voices in tourism research: A problematizing literature review of tourism heritage and museum research
by
Stefanie Steinbeck
The Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates that ‘respect for the young child’s agency - as a
participant in family, community and society - is frequently overlooked, or rejected as inappropriate
on the grounds of age and immaturity’ (United Nations, 2005, art.14). It further notes that as ‘holders
of rights, even the youngest children are entitled to express their views, which should be “given due
weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child”’ (United Nations, 2005, art. 12.1).
Despite this, several scholars in tourism and heritage studies have highlighted a critical gap in tourism
literature, where there continues to be a lack of children’s voices (Dockett, Main and Kelly, 2011;
Poria and Dallen, 2014; Khoo-Lattimore, 2015). This lack of representation and inclusion leads to
the inability to provide an intersectional understanding of tourism experiences in general and museum
experiences more specifically.
Adding to this conversation, this paper critically reviews key literature on children’s museum
experiences, within the fields of tourism, museum and heritage studies. Specifically it explores how
children are represented and included in the research. Are they active participants in the data
gathering, passive advisors or potentially even non-existent participants in research that relates to
them?
Using a problematizing methodology, the review attempts to identify, articulate, and challenge
different types of assumptions underlying existing literature relating to children’s museum
experiences. Based on this it tries to formulate research questions that may facilitate the development
of more interesting and influential theories and conceptualisations for this area of research. More
specifically, it questions what could happen if we reconceptualise and critically reflect on how we as
tourism and heritage scholars write about children’s tourism experiences.
References
Dockett, Sue, Sarah Main, and Lynda Kelly. (2011) "Consulting young children: Experiences from a
museum." Visitor Studies 14, no. 1 (13-33.
Khoo-Lattimore, Catheryn. (2015) "Kids on board: Methodological challenges, concerns and
clarifications when including young children's voices in tourism research." Current Issues in
Tourism 18, no. 9845-858.
Poria, Yaniv, and Dallen J. Timothy. (2014) "Where are the children in tourism research?." Annals
of Tourism Research 47): 93-95.
United Nations. (2005). Convention on the rights of the child: General Comment No.7. Implementing
child rights in early childhood. Geneva
