Getting under their skins? Accessing young children’s perspectives through ethnographic fieldwork

Abstract

This article explores ways of representing young children’s perspectives in an empathetic and empowering manner. Based on a poststructuralist reinterpretation of ethnographic field notes taken at a Danish day care institution, the article argues, first of all, that in order to represent young children’s perspectives in an ethically sound manner, it is necessary to combine the ‘voice approach’ with ethnomethodological insights and critical sociological analysis, which together enable ‘critical sociological empathy’. Second, that a methodological strategy that combines differentiated researcher participant roles with a ‘least adult role’ approach, enhances the possibilities of successfully achieving empathetic and empowering representation of young children’s perspectives.