Important places and spaces: perceptions of children and their practices of spaceappropriation

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1 Important places and spaces: perceptions of children and their practices of spaceappropriation Prof. Dr. Susann Fegter, Department of Educational Sciences Technical University of Berlin Content 1. Space asa topicin ChildhoodStudies in Germany 2. Concepts of Space 3. Findings: Spatial Borders, Certain Places and Practices of Appropriation 4. Conclusion c/o Susann Fegter 1

2 1. Early perspectives on Space in Childhood Studies in Germany Martha Muchow(1935): Der Lebensraum des Großstadtkindes (The life space of the urban child) Hamburg-Barmbek: a working-class district. Qualitative methods: mapping, interviews, observations Space as space in which the child lives (territorial) space the child experiences (perceptional) space that the child lives (practical) 1. Early perspectives on Space in Childhood Studies in Germany Hartmutand Helga Zeiher(1994): Orteund Zeitender Kinder (Places and times of children) Berlin Children no longer live in coherent and interrelated but in isolated spaces like islands in a bigger territory (Zeiher/Zeiher1994, p.27) c/o Susann Fegter 2

3 1. Space asa perspectivein Childhood Studies in Switzerland Caroline Fritsche et al (2011): Quartier Macht Schule (Community Power School) Switzerland School as a space distinct from community or not, depending on the experience of interaction and relationship culture 2. Concepts of Space Challenges within the current field of childhood studies: Children as co-constructers of the Social Children s perspectives as culturally embedded (Childhood) Space in cultural studies Relational instead of absolute Powerful and an expression of social hierarchies Practices and perceptions: bodies, artifacts, the Spoken, space and time Space as a relational ordering of living beings and social goods in places (Martina Löw2001:271). c/o Susann Fegter 3

4 3. Findings: Spatial Borders & Certain Places Spatial boundaries as not only constructed through the physical but also through how people talk about places: Parents: You know the streets back there behind the Moselstraße[Mosel Street]? You know what I mean! We aren t there There s nothing there anyway, It s also very dirty there. Children's categories are often sensory categories: It stinks, it s dirty its disgusting versus it smells nice, it s good to touch. 3. Spatial Borders & Certain Places Certain places I: The Home Home as the central point of orientation Home as a resource to present themselves as competent actors Home of friends as a resource for building up stations and networks in the district c/o Susann Fegter 4

5 3. Spatial Borders & Certain Places Certain places II: Shops and small businesses As an element of relationship practices: Creating drop-in stations Gaining attention and experiencing exclusivity. As an element of practices of discovery The shop Trans-Normal The One-Euro-Shop A new shop next door: Trans-Normal Lara.: Yes, that s just a shop where there, where there is a lady whom I have made friends with. She, umm, dresses and puts make up on men who (laughs quietly) want to be ladies, uhm, men; uhm, ladies. And, a short time ago, I went in for the first time. My brother got totally scared, because he thought it was a lady. And then the lady spoke to him in such a deep voice (laughs quietly). And since then, he doesn t go in anymore, because he is frightened. I: Did you go there alone? Lara: No, with my parents and my brother. I.: And what did you do in there? Lara.: I had a little look round. And then the lady told, well she told me a bit about it. Such as which rooms are used for what. And actually, I found it quite cool. I just found it super, uhm, to get such a guided tour just for me alone. And that, yes, just extra for oneself! c/o Susann Fegter 5

6 4. Conclusion The analytical potential of space for community research as a social and powerful relational ordering of living beings and social goods in places (Löw 2001) Spatial boundaries and segregation as not only constructed through the physical but also through how people talk about place according to certain categories: like clean/dirty; safe/dangerous or educational/unproductive The importance of the Home and small businesses for children s appropriation of urban spaces (for creating own networks and relationships, for exploration) An open question: how to make sure that research from children`s perspectives avoids being caught up in current moral discourses that stigmatize and exclude (other) socially disadvantaged groups. References Fegter, S. (2014): Räumliche Ordnungen guter Kindheit. Zum Potenzial praxeologischer Zugänge für die Child Well-being Forschung, In: ZfPäd3/2014, S Fritsche, C., Rahn, P. & Reutlinger, Ch. (2011). Quartier Macht Schule. Die Perspektive der Kinder. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag. Hartmut J. Zeiher, Helga Zeiher (1994): Orte und Zeiten der Kinder. Soziales Leben im Alltag von Großstadtkindern. Verlag: Beltz Juventa; Löw, M. (2001). Raumsoziologie. Frankfurt a.m.: Suhrkamp Verlag. MuchowM. & Muchow, H. H. (1935). Der Lebensraum des Großstadtkindes (Reprint 1978). Bensheim: Päd. Extra. c/o Susann Fegter 6