Global Childhoods

Global Childhoods is a multidisciplinary course that invites students to critically examine the concept of childhood as a social and cultural construct.
Moving beyond local dynamics, this course focuses on understanding how global processes influence local practices and how “childhood” as
a discourse shape global relations. We will explore topics such as the labeling of certain practices (working children, children living in contexts of
armed conflict) as "the ending of childhood" and the otherizing and infantilizing of marginalized communities. By applying postcolonial and decolonial theories, we will discuss whether globalization standardizes childhood experiences in new and radical ways. Additionally, we will examine how supranational legal frameworks (like the UNCRC or the Optional Protocols) impact children's lives across different regions.