Social Constructions of Childhood: From Not-Yet-Adults to People in Their Own Right

Abstract

Across the globe it is clear that children are a marginalized group. Children are not allowed to vote or be taken seriously in political circles (Sharpe, 2015), are kept away from public spaces (Valentine 2004), navigate inhospitable working conditions (Gamlin et. al., 2015), and are rapidly losing the time and space to foster their own child culture (Woolley and Griffin, 2014). Adults continue to institutionalize children’s play and restrict children’s access to public space. This serves to reinforce children’s position as second-class citizens. A mounting body of work shows that children are suffering in their physical and social development due to this continued marginalization (Clements, 2004; Corsaro, 1997; Evaldsson, 1998; Goodwin, 1990; Staempfli, 2008). This naturalized and troubling dynamic between children and adults needs to be critically examined in order to foster a healthy, socially just society.