Children as potential – a window to cultural ideals, anxieties and conflicts

Dados Bibliográficos

ID7101552
AutoresL Gilliam (0000-0001-9716-5861, Aarhus University), Eva Gulløv (0000-0002-7627-0897, Aarhus University, autor correspondente)
Ano2019
Volume20
Fascículo3
Páginas311-323
Data de publicação2019-08-05
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoChildren s Geographies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1473-3277 • E-ISSN: 1473-3285
EditoraTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14733285.2019.1648760
OpenAlexW2965025590
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas13
Referências citadas16

Drawing on sociologist Norbert Elias’ theory of civilising processes, this article argues for a perspective on children as ‘potential’. With this notion we focus on the efforts, hopes and fears that adult society invest in children and through them in future society. Seeing this as a result of historical processes and social dynamics, we hold that such a perspective provide us with a window to deep-felt ideals and anxieties in society, the norms of civilised society that are established as well as the ongoing struggles about these norms. In this way, studying investments in children are particularly significant for social science. Yet, we also contend that children themselves should take up a more prominent place in societal studies. As cultural norms have to pass through the transformative world of childhood to be reproduced, children actively affect the outcome of the civilising projects and the processes of continuity and change

Aesthetics · Art · Political science · Sociology · Window (computing · Computer Science · Diverse Academic Research Studies · Educational and Social Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Sociology and Norbert Elias