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The Sociology of Childhood
... É assim que Ana Nunes de Almeida inicia a apresentação do contexto de emergência de um paradigma sociológico centrado sobre a criança e a infância que, a partir de meados dos anos 80 do século XX começa a registar-se no campo da sociologia europeia e norte-americana, e que se torna visível numa "curiosidade inédita sobre as crianças e a infância" (Ibidem). Sem querer fazer deste texto uma apresentação detalhada do contexto mais amplo de institucionalização da sociologia da infância, tarefa, aliás, sábia e detalhadamente levada a cabo por outros autores (Corsaro, 1997;James & Prout, 1990;Jenks, 2009;Mayall, 2002), centrar-nos-emos na "novidade" de que fala Ana Nunes de Almeida. Como todas as ciências, a sociologia da infância é atravessada por controvérsias teóricas e organiza-se em distintas correntes, correspondentes a diferentes paradigmas teóricos e metodológicos, que se distinguem pelo objeto, pelos construtos dominantes, pelas metodologias de pesquisa e pelas temáticas que selecionam (Sarmento, 2008). ...
... Assim, todos os seres humanos são seres-em-devir, independentemente da idade. As crianças devem, por isso, ser perspetivadas e estudadas tal qual se nos apresentam, seres completos e competentes "no presente" (Corsaro, 1997) e não meros "pequenos adultos", como a iconografia da Idade Média fazia crer (Ariès, 1998) e os provérbios continuam a reproduzir (Ponte, 2005). ...
... Ao reconhecimento da infância como fase da vida corresponde, então, uma conjugação no plural. As infâncias são diversas e, "o que é comum nas crianças é diferenciadamente vivido por elas em função de sua diversidade" (Sarmento, 2013, p. 30), donde existem também diversas culturas da infância (Corsaro, 1997;Sarmento, 2004a). ...
... In society, children are placed in a subordinate position in relation to other groups. This position may limit the extent to which children can be active agents (Corsaro, 2015). Children themselves actively contribute to maintaining the social structure in their interactions with adults, they reproduce society (Moll & Betz, 2016). ...
... In these articles, as in others in this study, children are seen through the lens of teachers, and in this way may have a minority status (James, 2009). On the other hand, in many of the articles it is stated that teachers need to have knowledge about the children in their PCK in order to be able to offer agency to the children, but the generational condition or position of the relationship between teachers and children determines how children have access to extend their agency (Alanen, 2005;Corsaro, 2015). ...
... The children are perceived as capable of agency and not in a subordinate position (James, 2009). However, the texts in the articles do not mention the concept agency and how children are able to extend it or not (Alanen, 2005;Corsaro, 2015). ...
Teachers’ knowledge about children is a part of teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). With this in mind, the purpose of this study is to generate knowledge about how children are presented in PCK research. This is carried out by examining both the existence and the nature of descriptions related to presentations of children in selected PCK research articles. The method used in this qualitative study is inspired by document analysis and the analysis is a combination of content analysis and thematic analysis. In the analysis, articles presenting results from studies conducted in primary schools and in preschools were used. The focus of the analysis is on whether or not children are presented in the texts as active participants in teaching situations. The findings were divided into three themes: Presentations of children through the construct of PCK, Presentations of children’s thinking and motivation, and Presentations of children in play-based situations. The results show children as active participants with materials and in informal learning spaces, and that children can influence teaching situations through the teachers’ knowledge of children. One theme stands out in the analysis of the texts where children are presented as active participants: Presentations of children in play-based situations where children are described as being in control of their play, to which the teachers then adapt their teaching. It is in these presentations that children’s active participation and agency is most clearly defined.
... Asimismo, le anteceden trabajos en psicología infantil relacionados con el desarrollo del pensamiento y desarrollo cognitivo, la importancia de la experiencia en la construcción de conocimiento en los niños (Dewey, 1967;Piaget, 2015;Vygotsky; el estudio de las relaciones afectivas tempranas (Bowlby, 1998), el desarrollo de la identidad (Erikson, 1983) y el desarrollo psicosexual infantil (Freud, 1959(Freud, , 1972(Freud, , 1981, este último sometido a una revisión cuidadosa debido a lo controvertido de sus aportes frente a una concepción ideal de inocencia infantil. En oposición a esos trabajos, en los cuales los niños y niñas fueron abordados como objetos de estudio, la sociología de la infancia los reconoció como sujetos activos que contribuyen a sus sociedades a partir de sus propias experiencias James y Prout;Corsaro, 1997;Gaitán, 2006) con una voz que debe ser tenida en cuenta en los estudios de niñez y de infancia. Por ello, la sociología de la infancia ha propuesto unos enfoques propios para el reconocimiento y trabajo de investigación que garanticen la participación de los niños y niñas (Gaitán, 2006;Pávez Soto, 2012). 2 Los estudios sociales de infancia son un campo interdisciplinario en construcción cuyos principales antecedentes se encuentran en las propuestas desde la sociología de la infancia Gaitán, 2006;James y Prout;Corsaro, 1997;Pávez Soto, 2012, entre otros), la historia de la infancia y la familia, su representación, crianza Infancia y niñez sí están relacionados con los niños y las niñas, mas no se refieren al mismo hecho, ciclo, fenómeno o sujeto. ...
... En oposición a esos trabajos, en los cuales los niños y niñas fueron abordados como objetos de estudio, la sociología de la infancia los reconoció como sujetos activos que contribuyen a sus sociedades a partir de sus propias experiencias James y Prout;Corsaro, 1997;Gaitán, 2006) con una voz que debe ser tenida en cuenta en los estudios de niñez y de infancia. Por ello, la sociología de la infancia ha propuesto unos enfoques propios para el reconocimiento y trabajo de investigación que garanticen la participación de los niños y niñas (Gaitán, 2006;Pávez Soto, 2012). 2 Los estudios sociales de infancia son un campo interdisciplinario en construcción cuyos principales antecedentes se encuentran en las propuestas desde la sociología de la infancia Gaitán, 2006;James y Prout;Corsaro, 1997;Pávez Soto, 2012, entre otros), la historia de la infancia y la familia, su representación, crianza Infancia y niñez sí están relacionados con los niños y las niñas, mas no se refieren al mismo hecho, ciclo, fenómeno o sujeto. La infancia es una construcción social que se ha elaborado en torno, acerca de o con un grupo concreto de sujetos (Jenks,1982;James & Prout, 1997;Corsaro, 1997) desde la mirada adulta o entre pares (Corsaro, 1997) y se ha posicionado entre y en relación con las estructuras sociales, de modo que esta construcción implica: acciones sobre los sujetos, unos modos de reconocimiento, nominalización, comportamientos y representaciones de los niños y las niñas; representaciones que varían de una cultura a otra. ...
... Por ello, la sociología de la infancia ha propuesto unos enfoques propios para el reconocimiento y trabajo de investigación que garanticen la participación de los niños y niñas (Gaitán, 2006;Pávez Soto, 2012). 2 Los estudios sociales de infancia son un campo interdisciplinario en construcción cuyos principales antecedentes se encuentran en las propuestas desde la sociología de la infancia Gaitán, 2006;James y Prout;Corsaro, 1997;Pávez Soto, 2012, entre otros), la historia de la infancia y la familia, su representación, crianza Infancia y niñez sí están relacionados con los niños y las niñas, mas no se refieren al mismo hecho, ciclo, fenómeno o sujeto. La infancia es una construcción social que se ha elaborado en torno, acerca de o con un grupo concreto de sujetos (Jenks,1982;James & Prout, 1997;Corsaro, 1997) desde la mirada adulta o entre pares (Corsaro, 1997) y se ha posicionado entre y en relación con las estructuras sociales, de modo que esta construcción implica: acciones sobre los sujetos, unos modos de reconocimiento, nominalización, comportamientos y representaciones de los niños y las niñas; representaciones que varían de una cultura a otra. Así, hablar de infancia significa hablar de un asunto, hecho o fenómeno social elaborado desde diferentes modos discursivos que se sitúan en entramados sociales y culturales concretos, y se relacionan con otras variables como etnia, género y clase (James & Prout, 1997). ...
This research aimed to understand the social construction of childhood in early childhood education in Colombia through photography produced and circulated in State guidance counselors and digital press between 2006 and 2016. For this reason, the researcher implemented a methodological strategy from a relational perspective for the social studies of childhood supported by the culture studies and visual methods approach which allowed to analyze the images of children in early childhood education, understand them with both Childhood Agents and Agents in training, and disclose the social construction of childhood by integrating the emerging narratives to the photographs from the Childhood Agents, Agents in training and the researcher’s viewpoint. The research results made it possible to recognize: a) the State’s intentions to demonstrate the scope of some commitments to childhood education and child care in the country, concealing some practices with or around children in different regions and communities; b) a few media communication strategies aimed at sensitizing the audience to some news in order to ensure readership; c) the production and reproduction of memories and expectations on behalf of the Agents for the transformation of Early Childhood in the country.
... Idéer kan både vara reproduktiva genom att förstärka och cementera befintliga normer och subversiva genom att utmana normer (Sjöstedt Landén, 2012, s. 78). Corsaro (1992Corsaro ( , 2015 använder begreppet tolkad reproduktion, för hur barn aktivt tolkar och återskapar kulturella och sociala element i samspel med sin kamratkultur. Änggård (2005, 2009) bygger på Corsaro i sina studier och hon har sett att barn gör kreativa omtolkningar som kan utmana normer genom att inspirationen omarbetas i en ny kontext och då får nya betydelser. ...
... De gjordes också aktiva genom tillämpning av inspirationen i slöjduppdraget som erbjöd utrymme för kreativa omtolkningar (jfr Änggård, 2005). Skulpturexemplen kan därmed ses som subversiva då de genom att vara abstrakta och vara flera olika kunde utmana normer kring vad ett estetiskt uttryck kan vara när eleverna gjorde tolkande reproduktioner (jfr Corsaro, 2015). ...
... De olika stegen i idéutvecklingen: inspirationen genom estetiska erfarenheter, den kollaborativa föreställningen och fantasin som driver på skapandet, är del i sociala och kulturella sammanhang laddade med normer (Corsaro, 2015;Sjöstedt Landén, 2012), vilket aktiverar lärarens ansvar att bredda och utmana så att eleverna får möjlighet att skapa bortom stereotypa gränser och det ställer krav på lärarens didaktiska urval av inspiration och material (Broman et al., 2013). Samtidigt öppnar kopplingen till sociala och kulturella sammanhang en möjlighet för slöjden att bli meningsskapande och ta plats i samhället till exempel som elevernas skulpturer gjorde genom fotomontage. ...
Multimodal kommunikation kring estetiska aspekter i ett slöjduppdrags idéutvecklingsfas är fokus i den här artikeln. Kommunikativa aspekter vid undervisning i slöjd har tidigare undersökts ur olika perspektiv: hur läraren förmedlar hantverkskunskaper och att elever lär av varandra. Även materialets roll i skapande processer har varit av intresse: hur materialet inspirerar, samarbetar eller ger motstånd i hantverksprocesser. Empirin som ligger till grund för artikeln kommer från en videodokumenterad forskningslektion i slöjd med 8 ̶ 9 år gamla elever. Intresset riktas mot hur lärarens inledande undervisning, materialet, rummet och elevernas estetiska erfarenheter bidrar i idéutvecklingen. I analysen används begreppet collaborative imagining, att föreställningsförmåga är en gemensam resurs för kommunikation vid utveckling av idéer. Vi kunde se att föreställningsförmåga gav eleverna både imaginära och konkreta kommunikativa resurser i idéutvecklingen. Resultatet visar att eleverna använde föreställningsförmåga kollaborativt när de i samarbete utvecklade idéer i handling genom samspel med materialet och med inspiration från egna och gemensamma estetiska erfarenheter. Keywords: slöjd, idéutveckling, embodied learning, kollaborativ föreställningsförmåga, estetiska erfarenheter, multimodal transkription
... De acuerdo con los nuevos estudios de infancia (Corsaro, 2011;James y Prout, 1997), es necesario distinguir analíticamente la infancia de los niños y las niñas. La infancia comprende un entramado de discursos, enunciados y prescripciones sobre los niños y las niñas, producidos en el tiempo, con el fin de objetivarlos. ...
... Por otro lado, en relación con la categoría niños y niñas (niñeces), se afirma que estos son actores sociales portadores de experiencias, necesidades e intereses propios. De acuerdo con Corsaro (2011), los niños tienden a aprehender los discursos y las prácticas de la sociedad, con el fin de acomodarse estratégicamente a las pautas sociales, los estereotipos y los roles dominantes. Al integrarse a las rutinas de su entorno cultural, los niños apropian y reinterpretan tanto las prácticas como los códigos culturales. ...
El presente libro expone el estado actual de los objetos de estudio vinculados a las líneas y grupos de investigación del Énfasis de Lenguaje y Educación del Doctorado Interinstitucional en Educación, sede Universidad Distrital (DIE-UD). Además, presenta las consideraciones epistemológicas y metodológicas de estas líneas, así como sus proyecciones. Cada uno de estos aspectos es abordado a partir de las experiencias de los grupos de investigación, del desarrollo de proyectos por parte de los profesores y de las tendencias temáticas de las tesis y proyectos de tesis de los y las estudiantes.
... This is of paramount importance to this study, as it underpins my research strategy and design, which are elaborated upon in subsequent sections. Consequently, as social actors and integral members of the community, children are as significant as adults, and their accounts should reflect their right to express their views autonomously (Thorne, 1993;Hutchby and Moran-Ellis, 1998;Corsaro, 2005). ...
... This topic will be further explored in the next chapter. A child can influence and be influenced by the social world by being an active participant within it (Mayall, 2002;Corsaro, 2005;Matthews, 2007;and Tisdall, Davis, and Gallagher, 2009). Children's perceptions of adult authority were widely discussed in the literature (Piaget, 1932;Laupa and Turiel, 1986). ...
... El sistema de sexo-género (Cobo, 2014) comprende dos dimensiones: a) como una construcción social y cultural que genera una valoración de la diferencia sexual y da origen a los estereotipos de género; y b) como una relación de poder, es decir, como una categoría relacional que incide en las actividades asociadas a los roles de género (Scott, 1986;Llobet, 2020). En este sentido, Corsaro (2011) reconoce que el sexo-género es clave en la configuración de los juegos infantiles, los cuales actúan como un ente socializador de la cultura. Gaitán (2016) identifica el disciplinamiento de género que viven las niñas durante la infancia, cuando la primera menstruación se erige como un rito de paso o un hito que marca el inicio de la etapa de "ser mujer" (Saú, 1986). ...
... ades (noción de autonomía progresiva); también se establece el derecho a la libertad de asociación (Art. No. 15, CDN) y el derecho a la cultura, la religión y el idioma (Art. No. 30).Derecho a la opinión (Art. 12, CDN)En el grupo focal de las niñas se reconoció que el espacio del grupo de pares sería el principal garante de su derecho a la opinión.Corsaro (2011) reconoce que el grupo de pares es un espacio de reproducción del mundo de la vida y la cultura de la infancia. En los siguientes fragmentos, las niñas valoran la escucha y una mirada atenta para sentir el ejercicio del derecho a la opinión. Nuevamente, apreciamos la construcción de argumentos basándose en situaciones cotidianas, que igu ...
El objetivo de este artículo es analizar el ejercicio y la vulneración de derechos en niñas y adolescentes que asisten a un Centro de Prevención financiado por el Servicio de Protección Especializada a la Infancia y Adolescencia (exSENAME) y viven en la comuna [municipio] de Colina. El estudio utiliza el enfoque de derechos emanado de la Convención de los Derechos del Niño (CDN) y una metodología cualitativa. Se realizaron dos grupos focales con 20 niñas cada uno, separados por edades (uno de 10 a 12 años y otro de 13 a 17 años), junto a observación participante en las actividades del Centro. Se compararon los llamados derechos de protección, provisión y participación, en los que se agrupan los reconocidos en la CDN para ser garantizados por los Estados. Se concluye que la noción de derechos que manejan las niñas y adolescentes está vinculada a la libertad, el juego, el cariño y la conciencia de derechos sería clave para exigirlos. La pobreza determina el acceso a un nivel de vida adecuado, y las dinámicas relacionales de algunas familias obstaculizan el derecho a una vida libre de violencia; mientras que la participación se ejerce mediante la opinión y las actividades que ofrece el propio Centro de Prevención. Si bien las políticas públicas han hecho un esfuerzo por incorporar el enfoque de derechos, aún persisten desafíos para lograr el pleno reconocimiento de las niñas y las adolescentes como titulares de derechos.
... Research on children's sociality shows that children from an early age are able to initiate and manage participation in play and other kinds of social interactions (Burdelski & Cekaite, 2022;Corsaro, 2018;Kidwell & Zimmerman, 2007;Pursi et al., 2018;Theobald et al., 2017). A wealth of studies demonstrates that children devote considerable time and effort to initiate, join, or protect peer group activities (on children's interactions in preschools, see Björk-Willén, 2007;Corsaro, 1979;Houen & Danby;2021;Evaldsson & Karlsson, 2019). ...
... The present study corroborates previous research on school-age children (Heinonen & Tainio, 2022;Katila & Niemi, 2021) by demonstrating that also in early childhood educational settings, children engage in physical contact as a way of being together in joint activities, as they manage peer group relations and multiple concurrent participation frameworks. Our findings suggest that embodied practices of engaging in social interaction with peers can be seen as a part of peer cultures (Corsaro, 2018). Here they are realized as children's touch cultures, where physical contact constitutes an integral part of children's being together in play. ...
This video-ethnographic study explores preschool children’s ways of engaging in joint activities using touch, i.e., various types of physical contact. Focusing on how children (2–5 years old) in preschools in Sweden manage peer group activities, the study examines the ways in which physical contact features in children’s activity proposals and other actions that are aimed at including participants in a joint activity. It explores some of the diverse ways in which children initiate peer group activities by using touch as one of many multimodal resources for forming and sustaining activity-relevant participation frameworks. The study shows how children employed touch acts to i) initiate a joint participation framework by securing peers’ attention and bodily orientation; ii) create and sustain a joint participation framework within a multi-activity by assembling and managing simultaneous engagements; and iii) engage and include a child into an already ongoing activity. The study aims to contribute to knowledge about children’s touch cultures, as well as embodiment of children’s social relational work in early childhood educational settings.
... In hearing their voices, adolescents are central to the production of research outcomes and contribute to decision-making (Norton, 2021). Consequently, adolescents are respected and listened to (Price et al., 2021), as aligned with the sociology of childhood perspective seeking to empower adolescents in driving agendas for change (Corsaro, 2005). Therefore, the aim of this paper was to explore what adolescents and professionals working with them think about ways to promote digital citizenship, with a specific focus on digital empathy. ...
... In physical spaces adolescents' socialisation occurs through modelling, conditioning, and reinforcement, typically by adults in the same environment (Bandura, 1977). More dynamic ideas, however, go beyond these deterministic suggestions showing that adolescents are proactive in the process of managing their social reality and creatively appropriate information from their social world to address areas of their lives (Corsaro, 2005;Hurrelmann, 1989). Furthermore, in an integrated physical and virtual world, the traditional physical modalities of socialisation are not applicable in the same way. ...
In debating who takes responsibility for adolescent’s online activity, expectations are that a multi-systemic approach is needed. In this paper, the voices of 11–18-year-olds, teachers, and mental health practitioners in focus group conversations were analysed using thematic analysis. Results indicated that young people demonstrated empathy in situ during data collection. However, when reporting on conversations in digital spaces, they complained of a lack of empathy from others, noting that bullying, and trolling were problematic. We propose the novel use of an intentional digital cognitive interruption to support empathic posting. The intention is for this to act as a catalyst for young users to consider their responses before posting by providing a momentary disruption to the fast flow of online interaction. We invite further conversation about supporting adolescents’ digital empathy in online spaces.
... Even when the schedule prescribes activities that adults do not control, children function as part of a group and have their duties. Children look up to their peers and appreciate feedback concerning their behavior, activities, achievements, etc. From a child's point of view, preschools are not only institutions but places and arenas where they can act, learn and express agency (Christensen & James, 2000;Corsaro, 1997;Jenks, 1996;;James & James, 2004;Mayall, 2002). Studies of children's behavior shed light on the knowledge that children develop and practice in institutions and that they have not learned them directly from others (adults or children), but it is a kind of implicit learning imposed by the preschool environment. ...
... Ugledaju se na vršnjake i cijene povratne informacije u odnosu na svoje ponašanje, aktivnosti, postignuća i slično. Promatrano iz perspektive djeteta, predškolske ustanove nisu samo institucije nego mjesta, arene gdje djeca djeluju, uče, pokazuju inicijativnost (Corsaro, 1997;Jenks, 1996;Christensen & James, 2000;Mayall, 2002;James & James, 2004). Studije dječjeg ponašanja rasvjetljavaju znanja koja djeca razvijaju i prakticiraju u institucijama, a nisu ih naučila izravno od drugih (odraslih ili djece); to je jedan oblik implicitnog učenja koje je nametnuto vrtićkim okruženjem. ...
In this study, we have tried to map the pedagogical influences in the preschool context which encourage the development of agency in preschool children. In the methodological part of this paper, we present the qualitative research we carried out in educational units in the three regions of Montenegro. Besides systematic observations (the sample was made up of 8 preschool teachers and 114 children), our study also includes conducting focus group interviews with preschool teachers (the sample was made up of 101 preschool teachers). We used the ATLAS.ti software to analyze and prepare the produced results. This type of research has not been conducted in Montenegro before. We researched all three regions of Montenegro (Northern, Southern, and Central). In this way, we obtained a sample that can be considered as a representative one. The significance of its timing is evident in preschools, as well as in peer interactions and the environment in which children spend their time. Preschools in Montenegro operate according to a structured daily regime, especially in larger groups (Central region), and there is no space left for children to use materials or research them, nor is there enough open space for children's implicit learning. The greatest barrier to their undisturbed work and even the encouragement and expression of the agency is to be found in the fact that the educational groups are too large. Therefore, the standardization and reduction of the number of children in educational groups are definitely recommended to improve the children's work and education.
... Because I was interested in studying school bullying as a social process among children and from children's perspectives and shared understandings, I also added the new sociology of childhood as a part of the 'theory-methods package' of doing CGT research on and with children. The new sociology of childhood is a constructivist and interpretative theoretical perspective in sociology (Corsaro 2018) that can be partly traced back to symbolic interactionism (James and Prout 1997;Leonard 2016). It considers both micro and macro levels of childhood and children's social life. ...
... In this theoretical perspective, children are viewed as active and creative social agents who co-construct and participate in their own unique peer culture by creatively using objects, information, and discourses from the adult world. Even though children are constrained by structure, they are also active agents acting in and upon structure (Corsaro 2018;James and Prout 1997;Leonard 2016). This theory offers a critical lens as it theorises how our societies position children as subordinate and incompetent and argues that research with children must approach them as research subjects and human beings rather than research objects and human becomings (Wyness 2006), and with "respect for children in the present at the same time as recognising children and adults are involved in complex processes of change" (Clark 2017, p. 25). ...
... Even when the schedule prescribes activities that adults do not control, children function as part of a group and have their duties. Children look up to their peers and appreciate feedback concerning their behavior, activities, achievements, etc. From a child's point of view, preschools are not only institutions but places and arenas where they can act, learn and express agency (Christensen & James, 2000;Corsaro, 1997;Jenks, 1996;;James & James, 2004;Mayall, 2002). Studies of children's behavior shed light on the knowledge that children develop and practice in institutions and that they have not learned them directly from others (adults or children), but it is a kind of implicit learning imposed by the preschool environment. ...
... Ugledaju se na vršnjake i cijene povratne informacije u odnosu na svoje ponašanje, aktivnosti, postignuća i slično. Promatrano iz perspektive djeteta, predškolske ustanove nisu samo institucije nego mjesta, arene gdje djeca djeluju, uče, pokazuju inicijativnost (Corsaro, 1997;Jenks, 1996;Christensen & James, 2000;Mayall, 2002;James & James, 2004). Studije dječjeg ponašanja rasvjetljavaju znanja koja djeca razvijaju i prakticiraju u institucijama, a nisu ih naučila izravno od drugih (odraslih ili djece); to je jedan oblik implicitnog učenja koje je nametnuto vrtićkim okruženjem. ...
In this study, we have tried to map the pedagogical influences in the preschool context which encourage the development of agency in preschool children. In the methodological part of this paper, we present the qualitative research we carried out in educational units in the three regions of Montenegro. Besides systematic observations (the sample was made up of 8 preschool teachers and 114 children), our study also includes conducting focus group interviews with preschool teachers (the sample was made up of 101 preschool teachers). We used the ATLAS.ti software to analyze and prepare the produced results. This type of research has not been conducted in Montenegro before. We researched all three regions of Montenegro (Northern, Southern, and Central). In this way, we obtained a sample that can be considered as a representative one. The significance of its timing is evident in preschools, as well as in peer interactions and the environment in which children spend their time. Preschools in Montenegro operate according to a structured daily regime, especially in larger groups (Central region), and there is no space left for children to use materials or research them, nor is there enough open space for children’s implicit learning. The greatest barrier to their undisturbed work and even the encouragement and expression of the agency is to be found in the fact that the educational groups are too large. Therefore, the standardization and reduction of the number of children in educational groups are definitely recommended to improve the children’s work and education. Key words: Children’s Agency; Education; Environment; Preschool; Preschool teacher---SažetakOvom studijom nastojale smo istražiti pedagoške utjecaje u kontekstu predškolske ustanove koji potiču razvoj inicijativnosti djece predškolske dobi. U metodološkom dijelu rada predstavile smo kvalitativno istraživanje koje je provedeno u predškolskim ustanovama u trima regijama Crne Gore. Uz sustavno promatranje (na uzorku od 8 odgojitelja i 114 djece) studija obuhvaća i fokus-grupe s odgojiteljima (uzorak od 101 odgojitelja). Za analizu i pripremu dobivenih nalaza korišten je softver Atlas.ti. Istraživanja toga tipa do sada se u Crnoj Gori nisu provodila. Istraživanje je provedeno u svim trima regije Crne Gore (Sjeverna, Južna i Centralna) i tako je dobiven uzorak koji možemo smatrati reprezentativnim. Očita je važnost vremenskoga određenja rada u predškolskim ustanovama, vršnjačkih interakcija, kao i okružja u kojem djeca borave. Budući da se u predškolskim ustanovama u Crnoj Gori radi prema strukturiranom dnevnom rasporedu, osobito u većim skupinama (Centralna regija), nije ostavljeno dovoljno prostora za dječje manipuliranje materijalima ili za njihovo istraživanje, a ne otvara se ni dovoljno mjesta za dječje implicitno učenje. Najveći su problem za nesmetan rad pa i poticanje i izražavanje inicijativnosti prekobrojne odgojne skupine. Stoga se preporučuje ujednačenje i smanjenje broja djece u odgojnim skupinama da bi se poboljšao i unaprijedio i cjelokupan rad i odgajanje djece.Ključne riječi: dječija inicijativnost; odgoj; odgojitelj; okruženje; vrtić.
... I acknowledge their intellectual property and express my commitment to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and originality. Children's participation is recognized as one of the fundamental human rights recognizing children's rights in societies but has significant challenges to apply in practice (Bessell, 2011;Collins, 2017;Corsaro, 2017). Children's perspectives on various child welfare policies, services and interventions such as out-of-home care were often ignored in the past where children had no active role of influencing received services as services were decided and carried out by adult professionals by consulting with other adults related to the specific case (Bessell, 2011). ...
... In the global context, child participation has been enshrined as a fundamental right of every child by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC recognizes the importance of promoting and protecting childrens rights to influence the decision that directly affects their life (Corsaro, 2017). The UNCRC also mandates that governments and other stakeholders should ensure childrens participation rights to take part in decision making process keeping in mind their age and maturity at all levels, including in the family, school, community, and national and international levels as child participation empowers children and gives them a sense of ownership over decisions that affect their lives. ...
This study aims to investigate the understandings by child protection practitioners regarding participation rights of the children and the challenges they encounter when promoting child participation for children in out-of-home placement. Child participation holds increasing significance within the field of child protection services in Sweden. In accordance with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is enshrined in Swedish law, children have the right to express their opinions on matters directly affecting them. However, child protection practitioners in Sweden have not consistently prioritized listening to children in such cases. There is limited knowledge regarding the challenges faced by child protection practitioners in promoting child participation, particularly in the context of out-of-home care. To address this research area, a qualitative systematic review was conducted, involving PRISMA statement and literature published between 1989 and 2023. Sources of documents were Scopus database, Gothenburg university catalogue and google scholar. Thematic analysis was used to showcase the results from the existing literature. Total 10 documents were included for systematic review. The results revealed that child protection practitioners hold satisfactory knowledge about child participation though still gaps of knowledge exists among them regarding UNCRC which is now law in Sweden. The study also explores the dynamics of communication between children and practitioners. Existing laws and practices as well as organizational policies define the challenges of practitioners in promoting child participation. However, other challenges e.g., perspectives and organizational challenges arose because of unsatisfactory knowledge of child participation within child participation models aligned with UNCRC but child as agent versus subject to protection also build the present perspectives towards child participation in out-of-home care. Recommendations for further research are also made based on the results and discussion of the research.
... The literature that empirically and theoretically addresses children's rights and childcenteredness has expanded in recent years. Studies that delve deeper into, examine, or work extensively with the child's perspective are numerous (Baraldi & Cockburn, 2018;Corsaro, 2005;Clark & Moss, 2005;Fattore et al., 2007;Luangrath, 2016;Mayall, 2002;Mayeza, 2017;Malmsten, 2014). Much of the research on child-centeredness focuses specifically on children's perspectives on their well-being. ...
... The approach takes the children's own perspectives as a starting point to learn more about them (Mayeza, 2017). Accordingly, the child-centered approach acknowledges children as social actors, as important actors in shaping their social world (Corsaro, 2005). Ultimately, their views, needs, and solutions should be taken seriously (Gornik & Sedmak, 2021, p. 102). ...
Scholars have pointed out that the dominant discourse on integration in Austria is characterized by an assimilationist view. This is particularly evident in various education policy measures – e.g., German support classes (Deutschförderklassen) – which illustrate that the well-being of migrants is not sufficiently taken into account. Against this backdrop, it is interesting to elaborate to what extent the prevailing discourse shapes young people’s understanding of integration. Applying a child-centered approach, we conducted 87 interviews and 13 focus groups with pupils at six secondary schools in Vienna. Not only did we find many different understandings of integration but also contradictions, ambiguities and ambivalences with regard to the concept of integration. Our findings suggest that it is vital for society to perceive young people as active actors in the integration discourse and to take into account the meaning and negotiation of integration as well as the needs and well-being of migrants from the perspective of pupils in order to sustain the integration process of migrant children.
... Por una parte, las perspectivas psicoevolutivas reducen la infancia a una etapa universal de desarrollo caracterizada, en lo fundamental, por la inmadurez y la dependencia (Burman, 1998;Qvortrup, 1992). Por otro lado, la mirada funcionalista entiende la socialización infantil como un simple proceso de transmisión cultural o modelamiento "unidireccional" del mundo adulto hacia los niños (Corsaro, 1997). En ambos casos, el lugar socialmente subordinado de los niñosconsiderados como actores sociales "en potencia"-, conduce a subestimar su participación en el funcionamiento y reproducción de las sociedades (James & Prout, 1997;Jenks, 1982). ...
La comprensión de los niños como actores sociales competentes y la importancia de visibilizar sus perspectivas en la investigación, es uno de los aportes más conocidos de los denominados Childhood Studies. En la investigación educativa, esta comprensión particular de la infancia ha impulsado a los investigadores a generar estrategias que permitan rescatar las “voces” de los niños, promoviendo su participación en la producción de conocimiento relevante para la democratización y mejoramiento del mundo escolar y de los procesos educativos. La revisión de la literatura evidencia que el uso extendido de la noción de “voz de los niños”, como garante de horizontalidad investigativa, no ha ido acompañado de un examen crítico de sus límites e implicancias para la investigación de la infancia. Este trabajo articula una reflexión crítica de la “voz”, con el fin de contribuir al debate teórico y metodológico en el campo de la investigación educativa de la niñez.
... In questo senso, proprio rispetto ai problemi ambientali, il successo dell'inclusione dei bambini nei movimenti per la giustizia ambientale e l'equità è stato in parte precluso da percezioni adulte che attribuiscono ai giovani lo status di vittime (Daly, 2022) che soffrono e subiscono il degrado dell'ambiente. In controtendenza, il riconoscimento dei più piccoli quali soggetti attivi (Corsaro, 1997; ed esperti delle proprie vite (Clark & Moss, 2011) può invece permettere agli adulti di riporre fiducia nei bambini e di imparare da e con loro, promuovendo un dialogo intergenerazionale e trasformativo che si basa su alcuni assunti principali: in primo luogo, i bambini possiedono una cognizione diversa rispetto agli adulti, in quanto le loro esperienze di tempi e luoghi sono differenti e pertanto possono offrire un pensiero innovativo per migliorare i processi decisionali in materia ambientale; in secondo luogo, la promozione di processi partecipativi piacevoli e ingaggianti può favorire la creazione di relazioni proficue tra bambini e adulti, sconvolgendo metodi più tradizionali che intendono la ricerca quale processo oggettivo e neutrale, transitando invece verso approcci legati alla soggettività e alla creatività, fondati su rapporti di fiducia tra i partecipanti, attitudini cruciali se si intende impegnarsi criticamente nelle questioni ambientali (Shields et al., 2023). ...
... I den barndomssociologiske forståelse er den udviklingspsykologiske teori således en måde at reducere børn til "becomings" i stedet for "beings" på. I stedet argumenteres der for, at den kulturelle og historiske kontekst må medtaenkes, når børns livsverden studeres, og at børn må forstås som mere end passive modtagere af kultur og mening, men selv er aktive medskabere heraf (Corsaro, 1997;James & Prout, 1990). ...
Den stigende politiske og forvaltningsmæssige opmærksomhed på global konkurrence, læringsmål og optimering på daginstitutionsområdets har fra flere kanter ført til en kritik af, hvad der kan forstås som en neoliberal læringsdagsorden. I den forbindelse fremsættes leg som et alternativ, der har barnets egne perspektiver og virksomhed i centrum. I nærværende artikel forfølger jeg historiske måder at teoretisere leg på og måder at teoretisere styring på. Jeg søger at vise, hvorledes en børnehavepædagogisk epistemologi over leg deler figurationer med måder at forstå og praktisere styring på på forskellige historiske tidspunkter. Fremfor at stå i modsætning til styring argumenterer jeg for, at teorier om leg på den ene side indebærer opgør og modstand mod andre og tidligere måder at se og behandle børn på, men på den anden side også stiller sig til rådighed for ambitioner om at styre samfund ved at styre børn. English abstract Play as an Alternative to a Neoliberal Agenda of Learning The increasing political and governmental attention to Early Childhood Education and Care has within the field of education led to a critique of what can be called a neoliberal agenda of learning. In this context, play is presented as an alternative that has the child’s own perspectives and activities at the center. In this article, I pursue historical ways of theorizing play and ways of theorizing governance. I seek to show how the epistemology of play within the field of kindergartens in Denmark shares figurations with ways of understanding and practicing governance at different historical times. Rather than being the opposite of governance, I argue that theories of play, on the one hand, involve showdowns and opposition to other and previous ways of seeing and educating children, but, on the other, also make themselves available for ambitions to control and govern society by governing children.
... James 1997: 7-32], наиболее отвечавший духу времени и во многом породивший ту самую «мантру» о детстве как социальном конструкте. При этом очевидно меньше внимания получили, например, программный выпуск «Международного журнала по социологии» под редакцией Квортрупа [Qvortrup 1987] или вышедшая в 1997 году (и впоследствии многократно переиздававшаяся) монография по социологии детства Корсаро [Corsaro 2015], хотя эти авторы описывали детство в первую очередь как структурную форму -к этому важнейшему расхождению мы еще обратимся далее. ...
The article analyzes conceptual positions and disagreements among theorists of interdisciplinary childhood studies - a field of knowledge that emerged on the basis of the new sociology of childhood. This movement positioned itself as a paradigm shift in the understanding of childhood, revealing it as a conceptually autonomous area where the active role of children in constructing their own experiences and social relationships should be recognized. The widespread acceptance of the language for talking about childhood proposed by the new paradigm has led to its jargonization, circulation of uncritically repeated banalities, and the lowering of the theoretical stakes. To counter this trend, researchers are trying to reconsider the approaches that dominate their field. At the same time, a careful examination of the theoretical postulates and conceptual apparatus of childhood studies researchers reveals a fundamental divergence that cannot be reduced to methodological or stylistic preferences. In the article, this discrepancy is examined as an antinomy between agency and structure, as well as between an absolutization of the subjective or objective poles of understanding. Using program statements as an example, it is shown how the agent approach in the context of childhood studies differs from the structural approach, as well as what epistemological and political consequences both positions imply. The stake on the agency and autonomy of childhood turns into a fetishization of the ever-elusive authenticity of a child's voice; in its turn, the structural approach to childhood appears to be trivializing and dogmatic. At the end of the article, an assessment is provided of some attempts to get out of the described theoretical conundrum by the means, on the one hand, of the radical decentralization of childhood, and on the other hand, of a more nuanced description of the interactions between children and social structures.
... Aligned with Vygotsky [53] and other sociocultural theorists [57], the term social situational development (which describes the importance of the child's interactions with others and in the family context) pertains that development is dependent on the parent-child relationship. As such, we invite a wider holistic view that looks beyond the outcome of play to look at the quality of the social interaction, the how of the play (rather than the what) between a parent and child to contribute toward the reciprocal development toward autonomy and agency expression, and opportunities for cognitive development. ...
Compelling evidence supports the foundational importance of early self-regulation (SR). It also supports parents in the home environment as having the foremost influence on early development. Yet, prevailing approaches to support early SR growth have tended to leverage early education and clinical settings. Partners in Play (PiP) was developed as a sustainable approach for parents to learn how and when to support children through experiences of self-regulation challenges in the home learning environment. This study reports the first randomised control trial evaluation of the PiP program, with 21 parent–child dyads (consisting of twelve girl–mother dyads, eight boy–mother dyads, and one boy–father dyad; mean child age = 4.12 years, SD = 0.65). Dyads were randomised to a PiP intervention group (n = 10), which entailed four online parent information sessions and four out-of-home guided practice dyadic play sessions across 8 weeks, or an active control group (n = 11). The primary outcome was parent autonomy support, and the secondary outcome was child SR. Results indicated a significant increase in parents’ use of autonomy support and a non-significant but moderate-sized effect on child SR. This innovative proof-of-concept program and evaluation provides a roadmap for effecting change in parental support during children’s play, to the prospective benefit of important abilities such as child SR. Analyses show promise for a parent-based model toward parent behaviour change and child SR improvement.
... Isso ocorreu porque tinha consciência que na pesquisa etnográfica essa construção do percurso é construída enquanto se caminha (Campos, 2022 Nesta pesquisa, a orientação etnográfica se mostrou também importante para a compreensão das culturas da infância, definida como "um conjunto estável de atividades ou rotinas, artefatos, valores, e preocupações que crianças produzem e compartilham em interação com pares" (Corsaro, 1997, p. 95). Dessa forma, para além de interagirem entre si, as crianças, ao se relacionarem com os adultos, apropriam-se de instrumentos que permitem a elaboração de sua própria cultura através do que Corsaro (1997) Esse episódio foi um dentre outros que evidenciaram minha escolha por realizar essa pesquisa com as crianças (Carvalho;Müller, 2010;Corsaro, 2005 Esse diálogo aponta para um comportamento supostamente desafiador do menino comigo. Mas a minha reação talvez não tenha legitimado a percepção que tinha a meu respeito enquanto adulta. ...
Childhood in Alegre (ES): children´s circulation and play in a small city
This research aims to analyse the ways children relate with public spaces in a small city in Espírito Santo, Alegre, from their everyday circulation. The specific goals are: (i) to analyse the routes and the reasons of everyday children's circulation, identifying their perceptions of the city; (ii) to identify and analyse children's interaction in and with city spaces; (iii) to register and interpret the use of public spaces from children in the city; (iv) to understand how social markers of difference interfere in different ways of exploring and relating with the city and how distinct childhoods interact with public spaces in a small city. The goal is, by understanding the
childhoods and their urban experiences, to collate aspects between the fields of urban studies and childhood studies, especially academic discussions that relate childhood, children and cities, with an emphasis in circulation and appropriation of public spaces from children. The methodology is based in a qualitative approach of ethnographic inspiration, employing participatory and visual approaches. The study was carried out with 29 children, being 13 boys and 16 girls. However, a systematic monitoring was conducted with 08 children from a vulnerable area that circulate with autonomy in the city. The field work was organized in 4 moments: (i) mapping of public spaces where children were present to define possible
participants; (ii) an approximation with children and their families; (iii) following of children in their moments of daily circulation in the public spaces of the city, such as leisure, events, parties and way to school, and;(iv) holding workshops. Aspects relating to children's circulation and their presence in the city, especially through play, relationship with nature, heritage of cultural groups and public spaces have emerged in this research. The data pointed that social
markers of difference interfere in children´s ways of exploring public spaces. The understanding of the ways of children living in the cities to participate in the urban space inspire this work. It can be seen in a double scale analysis, the children´s perspective and urban scale
in small cities.
Keywords: childhood; children; city; circulation.
... Isso ocorreu porque tinha consciência que na pesquisa etnográfica essa construção do percurso é construída enquanto se caminha (Campos, 2022 Nesta pesquisa, a orientação etnográfica se mostrou também importante para a compreensão das culturas da infância, definida como "um conjunto estável de atividades ou rotinas, artefatos, valores, e preocupações que crianças produzem e compartilham em interação com pares" (Corsaro, 1997, p. 95). Dessa forma, para além de interagirem entre si, as crianças, ao se relacionarem com os adultos, apropriam-se de instrumentos que permitem a elaboração de sua própria cultura através do que Corsaro (1997) Esse episódio foi um dentre outros que evidenciaram minha escolha por realizar essa pesquisa com as crianças (Carvalho;Müller, 2010;Corsaro, 2005 Esse diálogo aponta para um comportamento supostamente desafiador do menino comigo. Mas a minha reação talvez não tenha legitimado a percepção que tinha a meu respeito enquanto adulta. ...
Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar como as crianças moradoras de uma cidade pequena, Alegre (ES), circulam e se apropriam dos espaços públicos. Os objetivos específicos são: (i) analisar os percursos e os motivos de circulação cotidiana pelas crianças, identificando suas percepções sobre a cidade; (ii) identificar e analisar situações de interação das crianças nos e com os espaços da cidade; (iii) registrar e interpretar os usos dos espaços públicos pelas crianças na cidade e; (iv) compreender como os marcadores sociais da diferença interferem nas diferentes formas de explorar e de se relacionar com a cidade e como as distintas infâncias se relacionam com os espaços públicos de uma cidade pequena. Pretende-se, ao compreender as infâncias e suas experiências urbanas, cotejar elementos dos campos dos estudos urbanos e dos estudos da infância, em especial os debates teóricos que relacionam infâncias, crianças e cidades, com ênfase na circulação e apropriação dos espaços públicos pelas crianças. Quanto à metodologia, constitui-se de uma abordagem qualitativa, de orientação etnográfica, utilizando métodos participativos e visuais, com uso de técnicas e instrumentos de modo combinado. O estudo contou com a participação de 29 crianças, 13 meninos e 16 meninas, tendo sido realizado um acompanhamento sistemático de oito crianças, moradoras de um bairro periférico que circulavam de forma autônoma na cidade. O trabalho de campo se constituiu em quatro momentos: (i) mapeamento dos espaços públicos que contavam com a presença das crianças
para definição dos possíveis participantes; (ii) aproximação com as crianças e suas famílias; (iii) acompanhamento das crianças em seus momentos de circulação cotidiana nos espaços públicos da cidade, como lazer, eventos, festas e trajeto casa-escola e (iv) realização de oficinas de escuta. Aspectos referentes à circulação das crianças, sua presença e ação social na cidade, em especial através do brincar, da relação com a natureza, com grupos culturais e com os espaços públicos, emergiram durante a realização deste trabalho. Os dados apontam que os marcadores sociais da diferença atravessam as experiências cotidianas das crianças na cidade. A compreensão pelas crianças que vivem em cidades pequenas das formas do que emerge pela circulação no espaço urbano inspira este trabalho, compondo uma análise em dupla escala, a perspectiva infantil e a escala urbana em cidades pequenas.
... In the held of sociology, the work of academics in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom and Nordic region (Alanen 1988;Jenks 1982;James and Prout 1997;James, Jenks and Prout 1998;Qvortrup 1994) as well as the United States (Corsaro 1997;Thorne 1994, Zelizer 1985 brought forth the sociology of childhood as a new subheld. Responding to the growing recognition of children's virtual invisibility in society and the academic disciplines, U.S. sociologist Gertrud Lenzer established the Sociology of Children as a new section within the American Sociological Association in 1991, effectively launching the held of children's studies (Lenzer 2001). ...
In this introductory chapter Julie C. Garlen and Neil T. Ramjewan challenge the dominant Western ideal of childhood innocence by examining its historical and socio-cultural construction. The authors argue that childhood innocence, often seen as a universal right, is a myth rooted in colonial, racial, and developmentalist discourses that perpetuate inequality. The chapter critiques how innocence has been used to marginalize Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other non-white children, who are often excluded from this ideal. It also explores the intersection of innocence with scientific, educational, and legal systems that have historically oppressed marginalized groups. By questioning the concept of innocence and its implications, the authors advocate for a more inclusive and critical approach to understanding childhood that acknowledges diverse experiences, identities, and intellectual histories. The chapter sets the stage for the broader collection, which seeks to decolonize and dismantle the limiting narratives surrounding childhood and to explore marginalized and intersectional perspectives on children's agency and subjectivity.
... That the most widely cited publications focusing on childhoods have been produced by scholars based in the Global North is only a small component of a structural problem within the multidisciplinary field of childhood studies. Another significant problem is that much of the produced literature has, hitherto, been based on studies of childhood that have been framed by theories and concepts which have their roots in work developed by Northern-based scholars, many of whom -at least in the early days of the field -drew on work they had conducted with children based in the Global North (Alanen 1988;James and Prout 1990;Qvortrup et al. 1994;Qvortrup 2005;Jenks 1996;Corsaro 1997;James, Jenks, and Prout 1998;Mayall 2002). ...
... As this movement gradually took root and expanded within the academic community, it coalesced into "developmental psychology, " which was heavily influenced by the experimental paradigm of psychology (Super and Harkness, 1986). However, in recent decades, the limitations of developmental theories and methodologies have faced scrutiny from critics across various fields (Burman, 1994;Morss, 1996;Corsaro, 1997;James and Prout, 1997). Critics have pointed out that traditional developmental theories often overlook the contextual nature of child development, placing excessive emphasis on discovering universal laws of development and assuming that research findings are applicable in any location and historical context (Jensen, 2012). ...
Introduction
The recognition of culture and context as pivotal influences on the developmental trajectory of young children has been underscored by numerous developmental theories. Localized knowledge is essential for comprehending cultural universality with specificity for early childhood development (ECD).
Methods
Thirteen focus group discussions were conducted with professionals, caregivers, and teachers from four regions in China. Thematic content analysis was employed to identify patterns and themes, followed by coding to identify more conceptual units of meaning.
Results
The findings reveal distinct culture-based skills across four domains of ECD in China. These highlight a local culture that embraces a comprehensive, dynamic, and staged perspective on the development of young children. This study elucidates the multidimensional impact of the environment on young children’s development, with a focus on children’s behavioral characteristics and temperament traits, ECEC practices, and ECEC beliefs that transcend identity, culture, and the economy.
Discussion
This study contributes to the assessment of ECD for future cultural comparisons and enhances the scientific understanding of the interplay between developmental skills in young children and diverse cultural expectations and backgrounds.
... Ühises suhtlusruumis väljendub nende uudishimu, motiveeritus uusi asju tundma õppida, keerulisi ülesandeid lahendada ja edu üle rõõmu tunda ning uusi kogemusi nii omavahel kui ka täiskasvanutega jagada. William Corsaro (1997) räägib mängu stressilangetavast mõjust lapsele, näiteks kodus toimuva pärast stressis laps leiab eakaaslastega koos mängides oma seisundile leevendust ja läheb õhtul koju paremas psüühilises seisundis kui hommikul lasteaeda tulles. ...
Understanding the child and childhood depends on the content attached to these concepts. Different images have prevailed in different times and they reflect in modern understandings of children. Drawing on Philippe Ariès’ seminal work, Centuries of Childhood, the paper offers a glimpse of images of children through time. History has portrayed the vulnerable, fragile child who needs protection and the immature child who needs to be educated and disciplined. Both images are represented in adults’ and children’s perceptions of today’s children. These perceptions in turn influence the way adults treat children. For example, a parent who sees the child as vulnerable and fragile may be overprotective and limit the child’s autonomous behaviour; another parent may not be able to negotiate with the child and may be easily punitive in situations where the child makes mistakes. According to children, they do not misbehave deliberately, but because they are immature and lack knowledge and experience. Understandably, they also agree with the image of a vulnerable child – in some situations they need to feel safe and protected. With the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly in 1989 and its ratification by state governments, the image of the socially competent child began to develop vigorously. The current article focuses on the competent image of the child, according to which a child is an active social agent and socially competent according to age to evaluate his or her lived life. The paper recalls keynotes of Ivar Frønes and Asher Ben-Arieh at international children’s well-being conference which was held in Tartu in 2019. According to them, while an adult thinks about life lived today, and thinking about tomorrow is the quest to “think out of the box”, a child has to live life forward each day, i.e., find solutions here and now, harnessing their innovative energy; for example, when confronted with new situations that require new solutions, or when interpreting and reproducing knowledge individually and collectively, shaping the world in which they live and, last but not least, bringing about change around them, e.g., contributing to the parent’s growth into parenthood. The challenge of modern childhood is to understand social processes in a forward-looking way, focusing not on future adulthood but on the here-and-now of childhood. Children use their innovative energy in everyday interactions and play, which is an important part of their lives. In a broad sense, play is action, it is practice of living, including the development of new skills and self-socialisation. There is plenty of innovative energy in children in their free play. In conclusion, it has to be said that, as society develops more rapidly, innovative energy and thinking are increasingly becoming a challenge for adults too. The article is based on the introductory presentation of the winter conference of folklorists, “Playing and Playfulness in Folklore”, held in Kuremaa Castle on 2–3 March 2023.
... This perspective has been bolstered in the last four decades in the fields of sociology and anthropology of childhood (e.g. Christensen and James 2001;Cohn 2005;Corsaro 1997;Díaz 2010;Díaz and James 2010;Holloway and Valentine 2000;James and James 2001;Lancy 2015;Pachón 2009;Voltarelli 2018) as well as in collaborative ethnography with children and youth (e.g. Barley 2020;Grover 2004;Kellett 2005;Milstein, Clemente, and Guerrero 2019;Reyes Domínguez 2022;Spyrou 2011). ...
... The pedagogical didactic model underlying this approach states that effective teaching is possible only when a student is motivated and actively involved in the construction of knowledge within the social dimension of the classroom. The last 20 years of the new sociology of childhood (e.g., Alanen, 1988;Qvortrup, 2002;Corsaro, 2005) show that this approach necessitates a radical change in perspective of the agency and the participation of children and adolescents as central to the learning process. Moreover, a new conceptualization of the educational process is needed to meet the multiple dimensions involved, as outlined in the Save the Children's definition of educational disadvantage, which underlines the interdependence between the cognitive and the affective/relational side of education. ...
Introduction
The learning process goes beyond the acquisition of curricular cognitive elements to include extracurricular skills. This extended concept has attracted renewed attention through the European Council Recommendation (2018) on skills development for lifelong learning in schools. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has also highlighted the relevance of socio-emotional skills for learning and life chances. The official uptake of extracurricular skills in curricula poses schools and educators the challenge of finding ways to conceptualize, teach, and assess them. To this end, co-operative learning and peer-to-peer education hold a prominent place among educational strategies alternative to conventional teaching practices. Both actively engage students and have a positive impact on achievement in curricular disciplines and on the development of lifelong learning skills and social and emotional competences. The present study presents a case study in which collaborative learning was supported via a digital platform.
Methods
We analyzed the qualitative data collected in Italian schools taking part in the Kids4alll, a Horizon 2020 project. The project’s aim is to improve lifelong learning skills directly and other skills indirectly through collaborative learning based on the “buddy method” (pairs or groups of peers working together).
Results and discussion
Our findings reveal the potential benefit of peer-to-peer approaches. This potential extends to the development of co-operative skills used in school context and transferable to other areas, along with the acquisition of character-building skills. However, a criticality in the application of peer learning interventions is that many teachers are often ill prepared to implement cooperative learning in classroom practice or lack sufficient training in matching peer-to-peer work and pedagogical needs.
... In this study, we investigate how a peer group of girls exercise moral agency in their collaborative interactional engagements with unraveling a controversial online event. We take a multimodal interactional approach (Goodwin 2000) to children's peer interactions and the creative role that language, affect and embodied actions play in how children develop social relationships and cultural skills while co-constructing their peer culture (Corsaro 2018;Goodwin and Kyratzis 2011). The analysis moreover draws on an approach to affect and emotions as situated and configured through multimodal resources (linguistic, embodied, material) in socio-cultural interactive practices (cf. ...
Based on ethnographic fieldwork including video recordings, this study examines how pre-teen girls, in everyday peer interaction, deal with controversial issues on a social media network. Drawing on a multimodal interactional approach, we analyze the situated affective and collaborative embodied work through which a peer group unravels and remedies problematic online behaviors (cheating, scamming, stealing). The results show how the girls affectively align themselves to deal with online risks in ways that demand different social media skills as well as networks of supportive peers. The girls agentively draw upon the affordances (texting, images, social norms) of the social media network as well as their expertise and collective knowledge of similar online events. The creative power of the peer group plays an important role, in terms of how the girls nourish their peer culture while building mutual trust and collaborative competencies for interpreting and anticipating risky practices in their lives with peers.
... Mediante estos juegos, los niños pueden explorar diferentes roles sociales y practicar habilidades de comunicación, empatía y respeto hacia los demás. Por ejemplo, jugar a ser maestro y estudiante, o a ser médico y paciente, promueve el desarrollo de la comprensión de roles y la capacidad de ponerse en el lugar del otro (Corsaro, 2015). Estos tipos de estrategias psicopedagógicas a través de juegos cooperativos pueden contribuir significativamente al desarrollo social de los niños, fortaleciendo sus habilidades sociales, emocionales y cognitivas. ...
El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar la contribución de los juegos cooperativos como estrategia psicopedagógica en el desarrollo social de niños de primer grado en la Escuela de Educación Básica "Abraham Lincoln". Se adoptó un enfoque cualitativo desde el punto de vista metodológico, reconociendo la complejidad y subjetividad del fenómeno estudiado. Se utilizó la observación participante y la Lista de Cotejo como instrumento de evaluación para comprender en profundidad las interacciones sociales y el impacto de los juegos cooperativos en el desarrollo social de los niños. Los resultados obtenidos revelaron que la implementación de juegos cooperativos tuvo un impacto positivo en el desarrollo social de los niños. Se observó una alta participación activa en los juegos, así como una notable capacidad de colaboración y trabajo en equipo entre los estudiantes. Además, se evidenció un elevado nivel de respeto mutuo y comunicación efectiva, así como la capacidad de resolver conflictos de manera constructiva. Estos hallazgos sugieren que los juegos cooperativos promueven habilidades sociales clave como la colaboración, la comunicación efectiva, el respeto mutuo y la resolución de conflictos, contribuyendo así al desarrollo social de los niños. Las entrevistas realizadas también respaldaron estos resultados, destacando la experiencia enriquecedora y gratificante de implementar juegos cooperativos en el aula. A pesar de los desafíos identificados, como garantizar la participación activa de todos los niños y gestionar adecuadamente los recursos, los entrevistados reconocieron los beneficios de los juegos cooperativos para el desarrollo social de los niños.
... I remain faithful to this because I do not intend to solve all the world's problems. I think if someone who is, let's say, in childhood studies or sociology or child psychology wants an anthropological perspective, they're expecting something different from the perspective they 10 In the field of childhood studies, the concept of children's agency has been developed especially by William Corsaro (1997), Allison James and Alan Prout (1996), Leena Alanen (2001), Berry Mayall (2002), and Alison James (2009James ( , 2011. According to James, debates on children's agency emphasize the role of children as social agents rather than mere recipients of adult teachings. ...
O texto discute a consolidação do campo da antropologia da infância a partir de um diálogo com David Lancy, professor emérito de antropologia na Universidade do Estado de Utah, Estados Unidos, e uma das figuras-chave da institucionalização do campo naquele país. A partir de uma entrevista com Lancy na ocasião do lançamento da terceira edição de seu livro The Anthropology of Childhood, apresentamos as principais contribuições deste autor a um público lusófono e discutimos temas chave para os estudos da infância, como os usos da noção de agência, bebês, a variabilidade cultural das categorias de idade, além da contribuição da antropologia para as pesquisas sobre infância, parentalidade e educação. Para Lancy, a antropologia da infância dá visibilidade a compreensões alternativas, em relação à psicologia do desenvolvimento infantil, sobre a infância e sobre processos de aprendizagem, trazendo novas questões e novas perspectivas. Com base num amplo levantamento de pesquisas etnográficas, o autor afirma a significativa quantidade de registros feitos por antropólogos sobre as vidas de crianças em diferentes culturas, enfatizando as distinções entre, de um lado, as infâncias de povos originários e tradicionais e, de um outro lado, infâncias ocidentais e urbanas, que ele sugere agrupar, seguindo uma denominação cada vez mais frequente nos Estados Unidos, como sociedades “WEIRD” [extraño], um acrônimo para “Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic Societies”. Nesta entrevista, Lancy ressalta que os trabalhos antropológicos sobre infância em povos originários ou povos tradicionais, quando bem conduzidos, possuem o potencial de produzir um efeito de grande respeito e legitimidade às formas de pensar sobre a infância e educação desses povos.
... Τα παιδιά κατασκευάζουν τον δικό τους μουσικό κόσμο με υλικό που οικειοποιούνται, το οποίο δεν περιλαμβάνει μόνο μουσικά στοιχεία αλλά και πολιτισμικούς κώδικες, συμβάσεις, αξίες και κανόνες. Η Barrett (2003) επέκτεινε την έννοια της ερμηνευτικής αναπαραγωγής του Corsaro (1997) πέρα από την κουλτούρα των συνομηλίκων. Τόνισε ότι μια παρόμοια διαδικασία λαμβάνει χώρα όταν τα παιδιά οικειοποιούνται, ερμηνεύουν και αναπαράγουν στοιχεία της κουλτούρας των σύγχρονων τεχνολογικών μέσων. ...
Τα μουσικά παιχνίδια των παιδιών τα τελευταία χρόνια προσελκύουν όλο και
περισσότερο το ενδιαφέρον της μουσικοπαιδαγωγικής κοινότητας. Μέχρι το 1950 περίπου, οι όποιες συντονισμένες προσπάθειες καταγραφής των μουσικών πρακτικών μιας κοινωνίας ως μέρος του πολιτισμού της δεν συμπεριλάμβαναν αυτές των παιδιών. Με την επίδραση των εθνομουσικολογικών ερευνών, οι μουσικές πρακτικές των παιδιών άρχισαν να αναγνωρίζονται ως έκφραση της κουλτούρας της παιδικής ηλικίας. Σε αυτή τη βάση προέκυψε η ανάγκη για έρευνα σε πραγματικό χρόνο και τόπο. Η μουσική παιδαγωγική εμπνεύστηκε από τις πρακτικές και τις μεθόδους των εθνομουσικολογικών καθώς και των ανθρωπολογικών ερευνών, οι οποίες περιλάμβαναν την είσοδο του ερευνητή στο πεδίο, την επιτόπια παρατήρηση και τη συνομιλία με τα άτομα υπό μελέτη. Μουσικοπαιδαγωγοί ερευνήτριες πραγματοποίησαν εθνογραφικές μελέτες με στόχο τη διερεύνηση της κουλτούρας των μουσικών παιχνιδιών από την οπτική των ίδιων των παιδιών. Η παρατήρηση των παιδιών όταν παίζουν είναι δυνατόν να συνεισφέρει στην κατανόηση της σκέψης τους, της δράσης τους και των αναγκών τους στο παρόν, καθώς και στην αναγνώριση των ποικίλων δεξιοτήτων που αναπτύσσουν. Το παρόν άρθρο παρουσιάζει την εξέλιξη στην έρευνα των μουσικών παιχνιδιών από τη λαογραφική στην εθνογραφική προσέγγιση τόσο στον διεθνή όσο και στον ελλαδικό χώρο. Ακολουθεί συζήτηση σχετικά με την παιδική κουλτούρα υπό την επίδραση της νέας κοινωνιολογίας της παιδικής ηλικίας, η οποία είναι κομβική για την κατανόηση της εξέλιξης της μελέτης της μουσικής κουλτούρας των παιδιών. Στη συνέχεια, παρουσιάζονται τα ευρήματα διεθνών εθνογραφικών μελετών των μουσικών παιχνιδιών των παιδιών, καθώς και τα ευρήματα της μοναδικής σχετικής εθνογραφικής έρευνας που έχει πραγματοποιηθεί σε ελληνικές σχολικές αυλές.
... A pesar de la importancia que requiere el análisis de las dinámicas de sociabilidad entre iguales en relación con sus respuestas, en términos de vinculación escolar, la etapa de primaria, y dentro de ella los espacios y momentos de relación más espontáneos y menos sometidos al control adulto de las aulas, son aún un ámbito relativamente poco investigado desde una perspectiva etnográfica, en parte porque las miradas sobre el alumnado de origen inmigrante suelen concentrarse en la, supuestamente, convulsa etapa de la adolescencia. Efectivamente, la investigación social acaba por asumir aquella imagen dominante en el mundo cotidiano que acostumbra a considerar, desde una visión adultocéntrica (Amit-Talai & Wulff, 1995;Corsaro, 1997;Hirchsfeld, 2002) e idílica de la infancia 20 que la Educación Infantil y Primaria no supone problemas de racismo e integración: "en primaria los niños de origen inmigrante tienen los mismos problemas que los demás". Así, las políticas antirracistas que, en otros países con larga tradición de recepción de inmigrantes, llevan desarrollándose desde hace largo tiempo en estas primeras etapas educativas, suelen verse aquí como innecesarias, cuando no como contraproducentes. ...
Este artículo se centra en las aportaciones de la investigación etnográfica sobre las experiencias y dinámicas de vinculación/desvinculación escolar de la infancia en contextos de especial visibilidad en términos de diversidad étnico–cultural y desigualdad social, como son los configurados por los flujos migratorios. Sostiene la necesidad de incorporar, de forma rigurosa, una perspectiva socioantropológica del concepto que complemente y enriquezca, tanto teóricamente como metodológicamente, el enfoque tradicional desde el cual ha sido analizado y «medido» en las propuestas de corte psicologista o psicopedagógico. Para ello, se realiza una revisión de literatura en la materia, relevante a nivel internacional, incluyendo algunos resultados de investigación propios. Se analiza la influencia clave, tanto de los estilos de enseñanza y prácticas organizativas (sobre todo en relación a la atención a la diversidad cultural), como de las dinámicas relacionales presentes en los centros escolares.
... Adultification involves juveniles (usually from the preteen to teenage stages) being perceived as adults or attributed adult-like characteristics, which can erode understanding or recognition of their developmental vulnerabilities and lead them to be viewed as more culpable or competent than their current developmental stage (Davis, 2022). Adultification depicts American childhood as "absent of adult responsibilities and behaviors," with anything else considered nonnormative (Burton, 2007, p. 330;Corsaro, 2005). In light of this definition, adultification can be imparted by multiple sources, including at personal, micro-levels such as parents, or through more macrolevel participants in an adolescent's life, such as schools (Epstein et al., 2017;Roy, 2014;Wald & Losen, 2003; U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, 2014). ...
... Adultification involves juveniles (usually from the preteen to teenage stages) being perceived as adults or attributed adult-like characteristics, which can erode understanding or recognition of their developmental vulnerabilities and lead them to be viewed as more culpable or competent than their current developmental stage (Davis, 2022). Adultification depicts American childhood as "absent of adult responsibilities and behaviors," with anything else considered nonnormative (Burton, 2007, p. 330;Corsaro, 2005). In light of this definition, adultification can be imparted by multiple sources, including at personal, micro-levels such as parents, or through more macrolevel participants in an adolescent's life, such as schools (Epstein et al., 2017;Roy, 2014;Wald & Losen, 2003; U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, 2014). ...
Neurobiological and psychological research on the differences between adolescents and adults in criminology and psychology has provided insight into how distinctive developmental processes may contribute to juvenile involvement in crime and the legal system. Literature investigating these differences, particularly regarding deficits in psychological and brain development and their resulting implications for adolescent decision-making, has revealed that youth may require support as they navigate the legal system and that their innate vulnerabilities should potentially necessitate additional safeguards in such environments. However, biases such as adultification–which defines how certain youth, sometimes due to sociodemographic qualities, can be misunderstood as more competent and mature than is indicated by their adolescence–may risk these protections and lead some juveniles to be perceived as less vulnerable and more culpable for their actions before and during the legal process. This chapter discusses the reasons for and ramifications of the adultification of children by legal decision-makers, including how their misperceptions related to adultification can threaten protections for adolescents within various legal processes. Particularly, this chapter describes how judgments regarding juvenile competency, transfer, and sentencing can be misguided by erroneous views of the psychosocial maturity of juveniles who have made contact with the system.
... The research was based on the principles of the child-centred approach, which focuses on children's experiences and perspectives and views them as experts of their own lives. Within the child-centred perspective, children are recognised as relevant social actors, (co-)creators of their own and social lives, and acting individuals whose perceptions should inform research, activities, and interpretations that affect them (see James & Prout, 1997;Corsaro, 2005;Fattore et al, 2009;Baraldi & Cockburn 2018, Gornik, 2020. ...
This article explores the subjective perceptions of well-being of migrant children attending primary school (9-14 years) and secondary school (15-18 years) in Slovenia. It focuses on how they conceptualise their fears, worries and concerns, what is important for them to feel accepted and safe, and how they think about their past and the future. Using a comparative perspective, similarities and differences in the experience of well-being of these two age groups of migrants are explored. The analysis is based on open-ended narrative interviews with migrant children and revolves around the question of whether and how age influences their subjective perception of well-being. The article sheds light on age-specific meanings and understandings of migration processes based on the views and experiences of migrant children and youth regarding their well-being, bringing to the fore the perspectives of children that are often missing or underrepresented in integration policy.
Artykuł problematyzuje konceptualną przestrzeń przecięcia queer studies i childhood studies, określaną coraz częściej po prostu queerowymi studiami nad dzieciństwem. Wychodzi od przedstawienia dwóch kluczowych sposobów rozumienia dziecka i dzieciństwa w studiach queerowych i dwóch głównych płaszczyzn analizowania queerowości doświadczeń dzieciństwa i statusu dziecka, a następnie proponuje spojrzenie przez kategorię queerowości na formatywne dla społecznego dyskursu dzieciństwa kategorie rozwoju, niewinności i sprawczości. Wskazuje nie tylko na ich uwikłanie w podtrzymywanie heteronormatywnego porządku społecznego, ale także na wartość uwzględniania queerowych dziecięcych doświadczeń i tożsamości w rozwijaniu złożonego, zniuansowanego obrazu współczesnego dzieciństwa.
Celem mojego artykułu jest przedstawienie moich wątpliwości i wyzwań zarówno metodologicznych jak i etycznych, które pojawiły się w czasie projektowania badania z udziałem dzieci. Badanie polegało na tworzeniu przez chętnych uczniów autobiografii szkolnej - w formie pamiętnika „Mój szkolny dzień”. Zadaniem uczniów było opisywanie tego, co dzieje się w szkole? Jak wygląda ich szkolny dzień? Przedmiot moich badań koncentrował się na zagadnieniu związanym z dzieciństwem, szkołą widzianą, opisywaną z perspektywy ucznia. W badaniach odwołuje się do najnowszych nurtów biograficznych i partycypacyjnych dzieci oraz współcześnie interpretowanej koncepcji Korczaka. Celem mojego badania było danie dzieciom prawa do głosu, do swobodnego wyrażania własnego zdania na temat dziecięcego trudu szkolnego. W artykule pokazuję pytania kontestujące etyczność badań z udziałem dzieci. Podaję przykładowe możliwości i rozwiązania, jak również stawiam pytania, które w moim przekonaniu nadal stanowią przeszkodę w prowadzeniu badań z dziećmi.
Sendo a migração infantil um fenômeno crescente na atualidade, é necessário refletir sobre a inserção de crianças migrantes em instituições educacionais, como forma de garantir seus direitos. O objetivo deste artigo é discutir a interação e sociabilidade entre crianças brasileiras e haitianas (3 a 6 anos) em Núcleos de Educação Infantil (NEIs). A pesquisa, qualitativa, fez uso de técnicas da etnografia (notadamente a observação participante) para a geração de dados junto a crianças haitianas e brasileiras, adultos haitianos, e docentes de dois NEIs do Município de Balneário Camboriú (SC). Os dados também foram gerados através de conversas com crianças e adultos, e por meio de um livro de história sobre a migração haitiana, de autoria da pesquisadora (com a participação das crianças como ilustradoras). As observações foram registradas em diário de campo e foram realizados registros fotográficos do cotidiano escolar. A investigação foi fundamentada nos Estudos Sociais da Infância, que reconhecem a criança como ator social de pleno direito e produtora de cultura, e nos estudos das relações étnico-raciais, que evidenciam as desigualdades entre crianças pertencentes a diferentes grupos étnicos raciais. Diferentemente de outras pesquisas, não foram observados comportamentos discriminatórios de teor racista entre as crianças nas instituições investigadas; pelo contrário, foram percebidos laços de amizade infantil construídos no cotidiano escolar de contexto migratório, onde as crianças haitianas se destacavam pelo protagonismo e liderança exercidos nas interações entre pares. Algumas hipóteses sobre a ocorrência dessa diferença para outras pesquisas são levantadas no interior do artigo.
This chapter examines how childhood, as a product of social construction, is perceived differently across cultures and geographic locations. Children are growing up in a diversified world and expectations about what they can, and should do, vary significantly. As global citizens, it is useful to have a common understanding of who is considered to be a child. Criteria for inclusion and exclusion are provided, concluding that a human rights lens as codified in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, could have significant value.
School has become more project-oriented. There is tremendous potential for student agency here. Children's agency can be revealed through a participatory approach to childhood sociology. The analysis model is based on the principles of participatory methodology and interpretive reproduction by Corsaro. Three groups of variables are identified: the subjectivity of the child, the balance of power between the child and the adult, and the joint creativity of the participants. The empirical basis of the study is the “Green School” case, implemented online with the participation of five schoolchildren and one teacher from the Khabarovsk Territory. Observation, interviews, focus groups, and text analysis were used for the monographic analysis of the “case”. In a space of “equal participation”, where students and a teacher are co-participants and co-researchers, children’s agency can be disclosed. Children maximally expresses themselves through free choice, gaining personal experience in the process of making decisions. Responsibility arises not as an “obligation”, but as a motivation for learning: “how can we do it to make it better”. The results of this work can be used by educators in organizing project-based research activities for students, utilizing sociological methods adapted to the study of children.
Esta investigación presenta las percepciones de niños, niñas y adolescentes sobre las condiciones de habitabilidad y entornos residenciales de un sector de la comuna de Valparaíso, Chile, caracterizado por la informalidad en su poblamiento. Los resultados muestran que los niños, niñas y adolescentes identifican claramente problemas de su vivienda, entorno inmediato y barrio, destacando la sensación de inseguridad que sienten en los espacios públicos y la falta de equipamientos pensados para ellas y ellos. Al contrastar con las percepciones de las y los adultos, se observan algunas diferencias en la jerarquización de problemas y las valoraciones del barrio, cuestión que abre preguntas para futuras investigaciones respecto del rol que tiene la niñez en el asentamiento informal y en los procesos de producción social del hábitat, habitualmente descritos en la literatura como participativos y horizontales.
More than three decades have passed since the United Nations' adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, yet children's rights and dignity still confront profound challenges worldwide. This book delves deep into this complex issue, meticulously examining the causes and consequences of contemporary crises in children's rights and welfare. Distinguishing itself from conventional literature and public discourse on human rights, this multidisciplinary volume offers an unparalleled global and interdisciplinary perspective. It defies traditional disciplinary boundaries, embracing an analytically eclectic and interdisciplinary approach to comprehending the intricate challenges faced by children today. This book wholeheartedly acknowledges that the issues affecting children are intricately interwoven within an intricate web of social, cultural, and historical factors, thereby requiring a holistic and problem-centric viewpoint. Far from the mainstream narrative, this anthology spotlights the frequently overlooked crises in children's rights, bringing to light those thematic and policy blind spots that have languished in obscurity. It champions an unyielding global and transnational outlook, recognizing that the contemporary predicaments confronting children are not solely products of local or national influences but are profoundly shaped by the forces and interactions of a global scale. This book uniquely contributes to children's rights scholarship by exploring children's rights and dignity through a broader lens, emphasizing the impact of politics, culture, social conflicts, and geographic variations. This timely and indispensable work serves as an invaluable resource for scholars, policymakers, and advocates dedicated to advancing the cause of children's rights on the grand stage of global governance.
The aim of this article is to examine patterns in Swedish children’s existential questions and worldviews in 2020 in relation to patterns from 1970 and 1987, but also to point towards a further discussion of importance, about possible RE responses to these findings. The material, children’s texts, comes both from studies conducted by Sven Hartman and colleagues in the 1970s and 1980s, and from new empirical studies. The children’s responses are collected according to the same method, sentence completion tasks, in both cases. Theoretically, the article is anchored in both the tradition of Swedish worldview studies and the new international interest in these perspectives for religious education. Existential questions and worldviews are seen as interdependent in human beings’ life interpretations, which are continuously developing and are both sociocultural and existential in nature. The empirical findings show a strong and increasing focus on relationships, but also a recurrent focus on achievements, which relates to school as context and community. In relation to these findings, the article stresses the importance of RE responses, and discusses concretely what such responses might advantageously include. Among other things, the importance is stressed of an RE that offers the student greater awareness of her life interpretations, and encourages her to develop broader repertoires of frameworks, through which the student might have a better chance to be the author of her own life, which is inevitably a collectively shared life.
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