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An Argumentative Analysis of the Emergence of Issues in Adult-Children Discussions
This book traces the issue in argumentative discussions from its emergence to its evolution. The book makes use of naturally occurred data of spoken argumentation to investigate how an issue is raised and possibly negotiated in argumentative discussions between young children (aged 2 to 6 years) and adults. The author proposes a typology of the emergence of issues based on the argumentative agency of the interlocutors. Moreover, the investigation sheds light on how issues evolve through negotiation among the involved interlocutors and how issues may be related to the interlocutors’ endoxa. By applying an interdisciplinary approach including argumentation theory (the pragma-dialectical model of a critical discussion and the Argumentum Model of Topics) as well as sociocultural developmental psychology this work allows for a careful consideration of the many aspects that come into play when young children start or engage in an argumentative discussions with adults.
[Argumentation in Context, 19] 2021. xv, 160 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Published online on 9 March 2021
Published online on 9 March 2021
© John Benjamins
Table of Contents
- List of figures | pp. ix–x
- List of tables | pp. xi–xii
- Abbreviations | pp. xiii–xiv
- Acknowledgements | pp. xv–xvi
- Young children as rational interlocutors: A perspective on family argumentationSara Greco | pp. 1–7
- Chapter 1. The ‘issue’ in argumentative discussions between adults and young children | pp. 9–13
- Chapter 2. Argumentation theory | pp. 15–35
- Chapter 3. Perspectives on children’s argumentation | pp. 37–52
- Chapter 4. Children’s argumentation within the family | pp. 53–61
- Chapter 5. Case studies: The issue in young children’s argumentation in family | pp. 63–103
- Chapter 6. How issues develop during the discussion: The issue negotiation | pp. 105–121
- Chapter 7. The relation issue – endoxon | pp. 123–134
- Chapter 8. Conclusions | pp. 135–147
- References | pp. 149–157
- Index | pp. 159–160
“Rebecca G. Schär has written a smart and engaging book that skillfully mixes astute and detailed theoretical insights with real world practical examples. Children do argue, and Schär shows us how uncovering the issues they raise can help us learn about our own rationality as well.”
Michael D. Baumtrog, Ryerson University
“Very young children don't need to wait to be taught argumentation: when adults consider them as potential rational interlocutors and grant them "thinking space", they can make sophisticated contributions to argumentative discussions and even take a leading role to address issues of concern. This opens a renewed perspective for psychology and education but also for theories of argumentation.”
Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont, University of Neuchâtel
“I appreciate Schär’s volume as a valuable study. The work is technically solid and clearly presented, remarkably concise, and pleasant to read. In my estimation, the book deserves high marks for its detailed discussion of the emergence of issues in adult–children argumentative discussions, namely, what happens behind the scenes. This volume offers a wealth of insights, ideas, and interesting examples on adult–children argumentative discussions, and those interested in this field of study will profit by reading it.”
Antonio Bova, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, in Journal of Argumentation in Context 11:2 (2022)
Cited by (5)
Cited by five other publications
Angiolini, Elisa & Céline Miserez-Caperos
Pramling, Niklas
Kohler, Alaric & Teuta Mehmeti
2022. From inference processes to situations of misunderstanding. Journal of Argumentation in Context 11:3 ► pp. 283 ff.
Convertini, Josephine
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