Lost Kids: Vulnerable Children and Youth in Twentieth-Century Canada and the United States

Children and youth occupy important social and political roles, even as they sleep in cribs or hang out on street corners. Conceptualized as either harbingers or saboteurs of a bright, secure tomorrow, young people have motivated many adult-driven plans to improve their communities' future. But have all children benefited from these programs and initiatives?Lost Kidsexamines the demonization and inadequate care of vulnerable children. From explorations of interracial adoption and the treatment of children with disabilities to discussions of the cultural construction of the hopeless child, this multifaceted collection rejects the essentialism of the "priceless child" or "lost youth"--simplistic categories that continue to shape the treatment of those who deviate from the so-called norm.