Freedom to play: will adults ever really let go

Abstract

Modern global, national, political and societal concern for the child have propelled all aspects of children’s lives to the fore. This is reflected in the world’s emergent biopower where the biological life of citizens has become increasingly politicised and effectively taken into ownership of the state (Rainbow and Rose, 2006: 200). Given this rising dominance of biopower for steering people’s lives, play is increasingly embraced for its purposeful utility as an instrument of state focussed not only on the child but also driving national agendas. Competing to be recognised, against these significant biopolitical forces of power, is a more intangible, undefinable and elusive understanding of play which has no other purpose than the autotelic end itself.