Contested Childhood: Diversity and Change in Japanese Preschools

Media accounts of social issues in Japan often accentuate the bizarre and negative, while academic writing tends to focus on the positive, culling the data on Japan for exemplary practices that can serve as models for American educators or presenting flattering descriptions of Japanese achievements to motivate educational reform in the United States. In Contested Childhood, Holloway, an educational and developmental psychologist, examines the Japanese preschool and identifies the cultural models that guide Japanese child-rearing as being contentious and fragmented. She rejects the myth that Japanese education is guided by "traditional" values and instead explores the diverse and complex threads of Japanese society that are reflected in the preschools. Holloway looks at the societal, religious and economic factors that shape various preschool programs and shows how culture influences child-rearing beliefs and practices. In giving a clear, realistic portrayal of Japanese preschools, the author presents a clear, realistic portrait of Japanese society.