Mothers, Fathers, Families and Child Development

Summary This chapter reviews the main tenets of attachment theory—one of the most popular and traditional approaches to conceptualising the relationship between caregivers and child development—in the light of recent research evidence. It highlights the limitations of attachment theory in achieving a holistic understanding of child development in current societal structures and considers the advantages of taking an ecological approach to the development of practice and policy. An ecological perspective that is child-centred contributes to a holistic understanding of how families, in all their variety of forms, influence child development and support child-centred practice and policy. The quality of the family environment is a key factor for the healthy adjustment, development and wellbeing of children.

Double-trouble: Negotiating Gender and Sexuality in Post-colonial Women’s Rugby in Fiji

Although women’s exclusion in sport has attracted significant attention in the western context, similar issues in relation to post-colonial societies have remained in the margins of the sociology of sport. By analysing primary, interview-based evidence, in this article we explore the challenges female rugby players face regarding gender and sexuality in Fiji; a male dominated post-colonial society. In particular, we focus on participants’ resistance to dominant cultural practices and ways in which they (re)negotiate gender norms and sexuality in a double-bind struggle against both traditional and sporting male hegemonies. We argue that the case of Fijian women rugby players illustrates an interplay between a multiplicity of power relations in sport in a post-colonial society and the resilience with which the athletes negotiate and respond to them, as well as the dynamic nature and the transformative potential of their everyday practices.