Abstract

LEITE, Ivonaldo. Sociology of Childhood: scientific field, steps and obstacles. Educação. Porto Alegre [online]. 2023, vol.46, n.1, e-44560.  Epub Mar 20, 2024. ISSN 1981-2582.  https://doi.org/10.15448/1981-2582.2023.1.44560.

In recent times, sociological reflection on children has experienced a considerable development, giving rise to a new area of specialisation: the Sociology of Childhood. With this in mind, certain approaches have been quick to state that this incipient area has already reached the maturity required for its complete intellectual establishment, being consolidated as a scientific field. This paper refutes this thesis, considering, for example, the contributions of Pierre Bourdieu regarding the modus operandi of the scientific field. Thus, a double hypothesis is presented regarding contemporary studies on childhood, that is: (1) there is a difficulty for the Sociology of Childhood to consolidate itself as a scientific field; (2) this difficulty stems, in part, from the internal particularities of this incipient field, such as the mishaps of its structuring and the competing perspectives of approach within it. This hypothesis was tested through a review of sociological literature on childhood produced in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish. From the point of view of the results, it is inferred to prove the hypothesis and, among the conclusive considerations, it is stated that, only through a reflexive sociology, the sociologist of childhood can try to avoid the errors that weaken the scientific field that he intends to structure.

Keywords : Sociology of Childhood; children; scientific field; reflexivity.

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