Childhood and intergenerationality: Toward an intergenerational perspective on child well-being

Abstract

This chapter focuses on clearing some conceptual ground in order to develop a relational sociology of childhood. The discussion is based on the belief that childhood is a fundamentally relational phenomenon; and therefore, the study of children and childhood, and the circumstances of children’s lives, necessitates a social ontology that is consistently relational. Thus, this chapter describes the movement within (“new”) childhood studies toward a relational conceptualization of children and childhood and introduces some of the conceptual innovations made within relational sociologies. Pierre Bourdieu’s field theory is presented as a particularly valuable framework and provides “tool kit” tools for developing a reasoned conception of intergenerationality as well as an ontologically and epistemologically secured foundation for pursuing intergenerational studies.