1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«Using a feminist ’relational’ approach to autonomy to uncover oppressive social forces at play, I demonstrate how the voices of children are silenced by oppressive social cues that send strong messages to children that undermine: the nature of their role in the patient-parent-physician triad, the importance of their perspectives, and the value of their participation in health care decision-making on their own behalf.» (p. 6)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
Données documentaires diverses

Type de traitement des données :
Réflexion critique

3. Résumé

«The “new sociology of childhood” replaces the historical notion of children as inherently vulnerable, helpless and in need of protection, with a perception of children as capable of competent, autonomous, social participation. Although this new sociological perception underlies current children‟s rights literature, Canadian common law, and important Canadian pediatric health care guidelines, children‟s autonomy in health care contexts remains easily denied or subverted in favour of adult conceptions of their best interests. In order to try to understand why, I use a feminist, relational approach to autonomy to analyze how oppressive social forces might hinder children from developing and exercising their autonomy in health care, and uncover a tendency to silence the voice of the child within bioethical discourse. These results suggest that greater levels of pediatric autonomy could be fostered by overcoming oppressive social forces and by fostering the skills necessary for the development and exercise of autonomy.» (p. 4)