Children as ‘differently equal’ responsible beings: Norwegian children’s views of responsibility

Abstract

This article explores children’s views of responsibility and their position as responsible beings, drawing on an international research project with a focus on data from 109 children in Norway. Responsibility is explored as a practice that children experience as both a privilege and a burden in childhood. It is argued that there is an interwoven relation between participation rights and responsibilities for children, where ideas of the child as ‘being’ and ‘becoming’, ‘equal’ to and ‘different’ from adults are embedded. A difference-centred perspective is suggested as a way to accommodate children as ‘differently equal’ responsible beings.