Globalization or hegemony? Childcare on the brink: Hints from three geographically distant localities in North America

Abstract

In a previous publication the authors examined selected aspects of the structure and curriculum of fifteen childcare centers located in three geographically distant locations in North America and determined that contrasts within and between the regions in terms of structure and curriculum guided by the National Association for the Education of Young Children's approach indicated that a culture inherent to childcare centers exists. Methods included participant observation and archival research. Journal data were analyzed for emergent themes utilizing modified grounded theory. Content analysis was used on government regulations, environmental and learning materials lists, and curriculum forms. In this article the authors re-examine the data to find that NAEYC's positional power, as a childcare organization, appears to be influencing the nature of childcare in North America, with some negative consequences.