ABSTRACT
In this chapter I address the consequences of taking power relations as central to developmental psychological and psycholinguistic research, and focus on ®ve examples of research. These illustrate not only different approaches to the study of children's language use and functioning but will also be used to advocate the following ®ve claims. First, we need to understand the power relationships in which children are positioned in order to interpret appropriately what children say within developmental psychological studies. Second, children express their developing understanding of relationships through language. Third, children use alternative positionings made available to them through language to contest and change their social position. Fourth, analysing the power relations that underpin developmental psychological research can, when acknowledged, work to aid rather than obscure the interpretation of children's actions and interactions. Fifth, institutional power relations are not only recapitulated within research and service intervention, but have material effects on children's and families' lives.
