Britain and Europe's Gifted Children in the Quests for Democracy, Welfare and Productivity, 1970–1990

Policy, voluntary, psychological and educational interest in gifted children emerged across Europe the early twentieth century but surged dramatically 1970s 1980s. This article explores transnational voluntary circles hoping that youth would bring peace liberal democracy these years. It analyses, also, how such work came into conflict with expectations of conservative press Britain: fact bolster national economic progress. Critically, demonstrates parents children, drawing on professional cultural capital, resisted ideas as global assets. Interest giftedness revealed growing ‘agency’ articulate, affluent, middle-class families within contexts individualism neoliberalism, also its limits. Further, we can must centre experiences young people our scholarship, to truly understand operates beyond.