Theorizing Childhood

Drawing on a large body of contemporary sociological and anthropological research, this book develops key links between the study of childhood and social theory, exposing its historical, political and cultural dimensions. Through a consideration of the twin dimensions of childhood - as a structural feature of societies and as a context of children's everyday life - the book reveals childhood's socially constructed character. Exploring the spatial and temporal boundaries of children's lives, the authors set out the theoretical contexts within which more empirical studies of childhood are embedded. Rather than using conventional categories of home, school and play, this volume is organized around themes such as space, time, culture, the body and work. In this way, the book explores the differences in recent approaches to childhood research, inviting valuable new insights into the study of childhood. Through this lens, the book demonstrates the centrality of childhood in sociological theory and contemporary debates concerning the state, welfare and morality.