Anthropology of Childhood

The anthropology of childhood is a relatively new field for anthropological study which emerged in Britain during the 1970s and contrasts with the earlier culture and personality studies conducted by American anthropologists such as Margaret Mead during the 1940s and 50s. These studies were primarily interested in exploring how processes of socialisation and cultural transmission take place during childhood. However, in these accounts, little attention was given to children's own active role in these socialising processes. The focus was instead on the mechanisms through which culture passed between the generations.

Contemporary work on childhood, by contrast, sees children as social actors in their own right and seeks to document their perspectives on, and participation in, the social world. This approach acknowledges that children experience different kinds of childhood in different societies and questions whether childhood should be seen as a cultural universal. Contemporary anthropological studies of childhood also recognise that, although children may not occupy central social, political and economic roles in society, it is important to see that they can and do make an active contribution. This may take place through, for example, their membership of peer groups and of families and their participation in leisure, work and schooling. An anthropology of childhood seeks to understand the different social worlds of children and how children learn about the adult social world to which they will eventually belong.

Text written by Professor Allison James (reproduced with author’s permission)

Postgraduate programmes in the UK

Brunel Unversity

Recommended Resources

General

http://www.open2.net/theinventionofchildhood/culturalchildhoods.html - a 30 part history series on childhood in Britain.

http://www.anthropologyofchildhood.usu.edu/ - Professor David Lancy’s affiliated book and resources website.

http://www.faqs.org/childhood/index.html- Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood in History and Society.

http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/ - information on the latest trends and research of key indicators of child and youth wellbeing.

http://www.unicef.org/voy/explore/explore.php - UNICEF’s voices of youth website.

Professional Organisations, Groups & Associations

American Anthropological Association Children and Childhood Interest Group- a forum for interested scholars to meet, collaborate and communicate about their work.

Child Rights Information Network- a global network coordinating and promoting information and action on child rights.

The Consultative Group of Early Childhood Care and Development - a global inter-agency consortium which aims to improve early childhood policy and practice.

International Youth Foundation - an international organisation committed to empowering youth to be healthy productive and engaged citizens.

Books

An Introduction to Childhood: Anthropological Perspectives on Children’s Lives
By: Montgomery, Heather (Wiley Blackwell, 2008)

Anthropology and Child Development: A cross-cultural Reader
Levine, Robert and New, S. Rebecca (Eds) (Blackwell, 2008)

The Anthropology of Childhood, Cherubs, Chattel, Changelings
Lancy, F. David (Cambridge University Press, 2008)

Films

The Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) has one of the largest ethnographic film libraries in Europe. Films are available for hire, sale or loan for educational and academic purposes. Click here for a list of films the RAI distributes on Anthropology of Childhood.

Disclaimer: The above information is provided for information and guidance only. It should not be interpreted as endorsement or otherwise by the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) for any external institution listed.  Furthermore, the RAI accepts no responsibility for material created by external parties or the content of external websites.