Childhood in Latin America: contributions to the field of Childhood Studies in Argentina, Brazil & Chile

Abstract

Childhood Studies in Latin America have been carried out for about thirty years, becoming more visible as a result of the promulgation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1989. The development of this scientific field has occurred in on a multiple and unequal social scenario, which is the result of the countries’ political and economic conditions. It is observed that the concern for children’s lives and the social policies in respect of childhood is the driving force behind Childhood Studies, which are undergoing a process of expansion and consolidation. This article is based on results of research on the Sociology of Childhood in South American countries, and its aim is to present some indicatives of the field in three countries, Argentina, Brazil and Chile, as well as the researchers’ contributions to a sociological debate on childhood. Some of the issues are transversal to the countries and giving shape to the objects of study in the field and seeking to better understand children’s living conditions and how children are dealing with the various South American scenarios. South American production of Childhood Studies has its bases in European research, but the development of the field feeds upon regional issues and characteristics promoting concrete and contextualized investigations, leading to a better knowledge of South American childhood(s).