Zentrum für Kindheits- und Jugendforschung (ZKJF)

Outlines of Childhood and Youth

Lecture Series of the ZKJF

Different theoretical approaches to childhood and youth not only suggest examining and interpreting the same phenomena in different ways. They also generally assume that different phenomena and circumstances are relevant to what constitutes childhood and youth. They outline childhood and youth and include statements on how and why childhood and youth are more or less appropriately constituted. The different approaches can complement, reinforce, develop, contradict or question each other. In this lecture series, different approaches to childhood and youth represented at the Centre for Childhood and Youth Studies will be discussed, critically and reflectively examined and sometimes even contrasted. This concerns epistemological assumptions, disciplinary references and methodological and empirical consequences.

Lecture Series Poster

 

Not to be so involved.

On the Contradictions of a (Socio-)Pedagogical Norm.

Lecture Series of the ZKJF with AG 8 Social Work

The recipient’s participation in (socio-) educational contexts should be enabled. This practice is typically regarded as acceptable from a professional standpoint, particularly in light of the establishment of specific legal standards, such as those set forth in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child or in German child and youth welfare law (SGB VIII).

The focus on participation comes along with very different understandings, normative ideas and promises. In socio-educational contexts, the objective may be to facilitate the exercise of self-determination by the recipients or to provide an opportunity for them to learn and experience democratic practices. From an instrumental perspective, the concept of participation is frequently associated with the notion of equipping young people with the requisite skills for political participation as ‘future citizens.’ It is anticipated that participation will enhance the efficacy of educational assistance by fostering engagement and involvement on the part of the counterpart. As a normative expectation, it is conveyed to recipients as a duty to cooperate. However, the difficulty of defining participation as a professional standard against which educational practice should be measured is not only due to this conceptual vagueness. Rather, participation frequently entails the involvement of (autonomous) subjects, who are expected to 'contribute' and thereby make 'their' preferences a topic or represent 'their' interests. This ideal form of authentic participation by subjects in the educational context nourishes hope for the reduction of power dynamics in pedagogical relationships and their vulnerability to abuse through participation, as well as the promotion of processes of democratization.  

From a subject-critical perspective, one can ask how and with what consequences recipients – such as children and adolescents – are constituted as subjects or constitute themselves as subjects within contexts of participation, and how institutional or generational orders come into play. From this perspective, participation appears ambivalent, as it is always embedded in specific power dynamics and is not inherently empowering, nor inherently a tool of domination.

The lecture series will examine and discuss participation, particularly in the context of childhood and socio-educational institutions. This will be done using basic theoretical considerations and theorizations based on empirical material. The objective is to engage in reflection on a number of key issues, including questions of subject status in relation to children's agency and disciplinary practices, the role of development and its institutional manifestations, and the production of differences associated with participation.

Lecture Series Poster

 

A Workshop of the Centre for Childhood and Youth Studies with Melanie Babenhauserheide, Julia König and Sonja Witte on 26.11.2022 from 11 am to 6.30 pm at Bielefeld University

In this workshop, we would like to discuss the effects and meanings of current sexual-moral boundaries and demarcations regarding child and adolescent sexuality. In particular, the workshop will explore the ambivalence and conflicts that arise therein. 

Since the 1990s, sexuality research has often described a process of de-traditionalization of Western sexual culture. Prominent sexologists such as Schmidt and Sigusch analyze a historical paradigm shift: instead of an 'old', repressive system of sexual morality, which was centrally based on drawing boundaries between permitted and forbidden, normal and deviant pleasures and practices, an ethic of negotiation is now emerging, which largely frees sexual life from institutionalized moral guidelines and restrictions. The consequences of this observed 'delimitation' of individual possibilities for sexual pleasure are assessed in markedly disparate ways by contemporary diagnoses: While some diagnose a sexualization or even "Pornografisierung von Gesellschaft" [pornographization of society] (Schuegraf et.al. 2012), others emphasize that the disappearance of prohibition-oriented taboos is accompanied by tendencies of unbounded self-regulation and internalized discipline. Furthermore, it characterizes an increase of puritanical hostility to pleasure while at the same time compulsively optimizing the possibilities of pleasure. This tendency of the "neue[n] Liebesordnung" [new order of love] (Illouz 2013) is described as a process of individualization, modernization or pluralization. It does not mean a "Verschwinden der Sexualmoral" [disappearance of sexual morality] (Schmidt 1998) as such, but rather "Paradoxien der sexuellen Liberalisierung" [paradoxes of sexual liberalization] (Herzog 2013). Current debates about sexual education for children (keyword: 'early sexualization') or #MeToo indicate that the previously described paradigm shift can lead to transformations and new developments in the constellations of sexual moral discourses.

Throughout history, images and notions of child and adolescent sexuality, generational conflicts, and gender-specific connotations have been central in social debates on questions of sexual morality. In the workshop, we aim to discuss these aspects through a constellation of case studies from various cultural and media contexts.

1.) Representations and stagings of the transition from language to physical touch and arousal in erotic narratives written by "Harry Potter" fans and published online, in which male characters are paired up with each other (slash fanfiction), and their reception

2) The petition against the exhibition of the painting "Thérèse rêvant" (1938) by Balthus at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, which arose in the context of #metoo

3) Stagings of prevention discourses in heated, morally respectively moralistic-charged debates in the tension-filled context of children, childhood and sexuality

The relationship between morality and pleasure from a psychoanalytical perspective will be discussed in terms of its possible ambivalences. Although morality may be regarded as a constraint on the potential for sexual gratification, it simultaneously engenders (historically contingent) stimuli for sexual arousal, including the experience of moral indignation.  What ambivalences emerge in these contemporary sexual-moral articulations and phenomena, and what function do they have in the effectiveness of sexual-moral discourses? What significance do reflections on the ambivalences and paradoxes of contemporary sexual culture and its media representations have for educational science perspectives on generational order, gender relations, and infantile/adolescent sexuality?

Bibliography

Herzog, D. 2013: Paradoxien der sexuellen Liberalisierung. Göttingen.

Illouz, E. 2013: Die neue Liebesordnung. Frauen, Männer und Shades of Grey. Frankfurt a. M.

Schuegraf, M.; Tillmann, A. 2012: Pornografisierung von Gesellschaft. Konstanz/München.

Schmidt, G. 1998: Sexuelle Verhältnisse. Über das Verschwinden der Sexualmoral. Reinbek bei Hamburg.

Workshop Poster

 

The significance of pornography consumption among adolescents has often been portrayed in the media, both in the past and currently, as a "Bedrohungszenario" [threat scenario] (Klein 2010).  These discourses connect to traditional stereotypes of dangerous and endangered youth. At the same time, counter-movements and tendencies towards liberalization can be observed. This interdisciplinary lecture series will analyze these discourses in the Federal Republic of Germany. In particular, the focus is on the cultural images of child, adolescent and adult sexuality and their functions for the generational order that emerges in the respective socio-political context.

The digital lecture series took place on Wednesdays (see dates below) from 4-6 p.m. (c.t.).

For students, it is possible to earn credits relevant to their studies via an accompanying MA seminar (course number 250167). Please register in the ekVV.

Lecture Series Poster

 

Annual conference of the Centre for Childhood and Youth Studies (ZKJF) in cooperation with the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict & Violence (IKG).

Digital Conference, 29. and 30.11.2021

Organizing Team: Petra Bollweg, Stephan Dahmen, Zeynep Demir, Baris Ertugrul, Daniela Kloss, Mira Püschel, Bettina Ritter

Conference Program

The annual conference of the Centre for Childhood and Youth Studies (ZKJF) on the topic of "Politicization of Youth" was originally scheduled to take place in November 2020. The event, which was planned in cooperation with the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict & Violence (IKG), had to be postponed to November 2021 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The organizers sought to utilize the time to examine, address, and engage in discourse surrounding the contemporary politicization of youth in conjunction with attendees as part of a digital kick-off event series. It was deemed crucial to examine the nebulous concept of politicization. This can be interpreted as a question of both the politicization of youth and the politicization of the younger generation.

The digital kick-off event series used synchronous and asynchronous formats, including live streams with moderated discussions, live panel discussions, podcasts, presentations, specialist talks, and others. These formats were presented either in real-time or in a regular sequence accessible to the public.

Dates of the Events

Synchronous Events:  

28.01.2020 | 7 pm | Discussion of the political and media opposition of youth versus risk groups in the Corona Pandemic with Dr. Ulrike Graff, Andrea Trumann, Rebecca Maskos (Moderation: Melanie Babenhauserheide)

Asynchronous Events:

Podcast with Guests

• Fridays for Future without Greta Thunberg? (Guest: Julia Groll)

In Summer 2020, Julia Groll and other students explored Fridays for Future from the perspective of actor-network-theory (Bruno Latour). In the podcast, the basic assumptions of the theory are traced, chronologically classified and explained along the international development of Fridays for Future. Questions that are addressed in the podcast include: Would the development of Fridays for Future have worked without Greta Thunberg? Is Fridays for Future a social movement? What and who are the actors of Fridays for Future?

• Climate Movement and Fridays for Future: A Generation on the Apocalyptic Horizon? (Guest: Arnd Richter)

In Summer 2020, Arnd Richter discussed the topic "Climate Movement and Fridays for Future: A Generation before the Apocalyptic Horizon?" with students. The experiences, impressions and recognitions of these discussions are the subject of the podcast. Questions that were addressed in the podcast include: Is the climate crisis changing the relationship between students and teachers and between children and parents? How is the political engagement of climate-critical children and adolescents addressed by teachers and educators in the classroom? Where is it addressed and supported in other educational contexts? What is the future of the climate movement and Fridays for Future?

 

The life stages of childhood and adolescence illustrate the developmental potential of humans and the contradictory relationship between continuity and change in the historical trajectory of individuals. The relationship between identity and non-identity of individuals with themselves, which emerges in this context, has a riddle-like character that is rooted in the unconscious. This incomprehensibility drives language and culture, while simultaneously giving rise to a "sinn-verstörende oder schweigend-unsinnige Seite“ [meaning-disturbing or silent, nonsensical side] (Insa Härtel). It is therefore unsurprising that childhood and youth are frequently the subject of artistic endeavour, and also produce aesthetic attempts that deal with the sense and nonsense of becoming – and thus always with generational order. It is the cultural transition from one generation to another, determined by birth and death, that makes education and upbringing necessary, repeatedly raising the question of continuity and change not only on an ontogenetic level but also on a cultural level. Both in retrospect to her early biographical period and in her own statements, something that does not yet exist is aestheticized - in anticipation of a state that transcends the present.

Aestheticizations of childhood and youth are not a 'realistic' reflection of these life stages, but rather specific interpretations that follow different artistic formal laws, reproduce different stereotypes, advocate different ideologies and are historically specific. The epochal year 1968 brought about a new interest in childhood and a new emphasis on youth, as the youthful protest milieu, student and pupil movements called for an assault on the traditional bourgeois society and culture, and in this process, also for the liberation of children. At the same time, cultural boundaries were attacked. Accordingly, the lecture series is interested in cultural products from various fields – ranging from literature, photography, and film to music – including popular culture, which gained significance since the 1960s, produced independent aesthetics, and in many ways infected the so-called high culture.

We have been able to secure speakers from various disciplines, each addressing specific aestheticizations. By utilizing the digital format, we aim to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue across different spaces. All interested parties are warmly invited to join via Zoom and participate in the discussion following the presentations.

Organization: Benedikt Wolf and Melanie Babenhauserheide

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• Lecture Series Poster (Winter 2020/2021)
• Lecture Series Poster (Summer 2021)

This semester, the colloquium of the research cluster "Childhood and Youth in Institutions and Organizations" took place digitally. The colloquium was held on Wednesdays from 4 to 6 PM.

Interested parties who are not yet part of the colloquium can register at zkjf@uni-bielefeld.de to get the zoom link.

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• ​Cluster Colloquium Poster

Event Dates

28.10.2020 | Nina Kläsener

11.11.2020 | Mira Püschel

25.11.2020 | Martina Richter und Katharina Sufryd

09.12.2020 | Melanie Babenhauserheide

13.01.2021 | Katharina Schitow

03.02.2021 | Britta Hoffarth, Susanne Richter und Sylvia Wehren

In Winter 2020/2021, the Centre for Childhood and Youth Studies hosted a digital lecture series titled "Childhood and Youth in Times of Pandemic".

During the COVID-19 crisis, the media has often discussed children and adolescents in a somewhat sensationalized manner, focusing primarily on whether they pose a virological threat and how they can be cared for in daily life without school and daycare. Thus, they are mainly represented as objects of care and concerns. In contrast, the lecture series aims to highlight a different perspective, focusing on the views and experiences of children and adolescents during the pandemic. Researchers will present initial findings from their studies, addressing questions such as: What opinions do children and adolescents themselves express about the COVID-19 pandemic? How do they perceive their own realities during this crisis, and what visions do they have for the future? And which children and adolescents might not be able to make their voices heard? Beyond the perspectives of children and adolescents, the lecture series will also explore questions about educational institutions in the social context: What specific challenges are youth welfare services and schools facing, especially regarding the demands of inclusion?

The digital lecture series took place on Wednesdays from 4 to 6 pm (c.t.) via Zoom and was aimed at all interested persons. Further event information can be found in the ekvv (event number 250409). For students, it was possible to earn academic credits through an accompanying BA seminar (event number 250196).

We look forward to your numerous attendance!

Event Dates

04.11.2020 | 4-6 pm | "I much prefer Face-to-Face Teaching" - Survey Findings at the Laborschule |Dr. Johanna Gold and Dr. Sabine Kaiser | Bielefeld University

18.11.2020 | 4-6 pm | Child and Youth Welfare and Coronavirus - Perspectives from Research and Practice | Event in Cooperation with AG 8 Social Work | Anke Berkemeyer (Jugendamt Bielefeld), Britta Knieper (Mädchenhaus Bielefeld e.V.), Dr. Andreas Mairhofer (DJI) and Ralf Mengedoth (Ev. Jugendhilfe Schweicheln) | Lecture Presentation

02.12.2020 | 4-6 pm | "But we (the Pupils) are never asked..." Insights into Young People's Perspectives on the COVID-19 Pandemic. Findings from the JuCo Study | Anna Lips and Dr. Severine Thomas | University of Hildesheim Foundation | Lecture Presentation

16.12.2020 | 4-6 pm | Case Reconstructions on Adolescents’ Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic in an International Comparison | Prof. Dr. Boris Zizek | Leibniz University Hannover

06.01.2021 | 4-6 pm | Familial (Educational) Daily Life During the Social Lockdown Measures of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Participatory Perspectives on the Construction of Childhood and Being a Child | Dr. Jennifer Carnin and Svenja Garbade | University of Hildesheim Foundation | Lecture Presentation

20.01.2021 | 4-6 pm | "Doing arrival" under Pandemic Conditions: The Impact of COVID-19 on Young Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the City | Dr. Elisabeth Kirndörfer | IfL Leipzig

27.01.2021 | 4-6 pm (canceled) | Children’s Daily Life During the COVID-19 Lockdown: Findings on Subjective Well-Being in an International Comparison | Prof. Dr. Sascha Neumann | Eberhard Karls University Tübingen

03.02.2021 | 4-6 pm | Students with Special Educational Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities for Support — Results from a Survey on Well-Being and Inclusion at the Laborschule Bielefeld | Dr. Sabine Geist, Dr. Janka Goldan, Prof. Dr. Birgit Lütje-Klose, Dipl.-Päd. Dominik Zentarra (Bielefeld University) and Prof. Dr. Harry Kullmann (Paderborn University)

The public lecture series named "Programs and Technologies in/of Childhood" took place in Winter 2019/2020. In the lecture series, various programs/technologies in/of childhood were examined through exemplary studies and illuminated from different disciplinary perspectives. Most of the speakers invited were those who have presented or are currently working on empirical studies of programs and technologies in/of childhood in various fields in recent years. 

• Program

Annual conference and workshop of the Section Sociology of Childhood 2019 in cooperation with the Centre for Childhood and Youth Studies (ZKJF) at Bielefeld University.

September 19-21, 2019, ZiF, Bielefeld University

• Conference Program
• Research Workshop Program

Children’s Eating – Between Pedagogization, Consumption, and Children’s Culture. Conference of the Centre for Childhood and Youth Studies (ZKJF) in Cooperation with Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (Lotte Rose) and TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences (Marc Schulz)

Conference Venue: Q-Building/Bielefeld University, December 06 - 07, 2018

• Conference Flyer