Informal Education, Childhood and Youth Geographies, Histories, Practices

“This innovative book has a clear focus on informal educational practices, explored through a number of examples from both historical and geographical contexts. … Each critical debate is contextualised within the literature, effectively referencing key figures from each field, providing directions for further exploratory learning. … I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, and have happily found a place for it to nestle in my bookcase, providing a useful reference source for both my teaching, and my research.” (Tracy Hayes, Children's Geographies, January, 2016)

“Useful for anyone considering how informal education can or could have been experienced. … the book has certainly accomplished its aim of opening up new ways of examining informal education across a range of disciplines. … Mills and Kraftl have been able to build a consistent set of themes to bridge these contributions without having to resort to tentative links between chapters, resulting in an enjoyable read with the potential to influence a wide range of research.” (Edward Whiffin, History of Education, 2016)

"Informal Education, Childhood and Youth is an extremely incisive and timely intervention into broader debates around the geographies, sociologies and historical precedents of contemporary educational practices. Indeed, it positions itself at the forefront of these debates, recognising the diverse meanings and spaces of 'education', and the multiple social functions it serves. It is a treasure trove of rich empirical research on 'informal education', as well as pushing the boundaries of scholarship in this area, theoretically. The book will be of interest to academics and students working within geography, education, sociology, anthropology and politics, as well as educational practitioners and policy makers." - Johanna L. Waters, University of Oxford, UK

"This timely and innovative collection weaves together the geographies and histories of informal education in fresh and thought-provoking ways. Its broad scope and contemporary relevance make an important contribution to the literature and highlight the value of cross-disciplinary approaches. The book's distinctive perspectives offer stimulating new insights which should have wide appeal." - Melanie Tebbutt, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK