‘True geography [ ] quickly forgotten, giving away to an adult-imagined universe’. Approaching the otherness of childhood

Abstract

In this paper I seek to explore the idea of the otherness of childhood. I suggest that there are considerable differences between the becomings of children and the becomings of adults. In the face of these a number of questions need to be asked about adult–childhood relations in society and about academic approaches to children and childhood, particularly in terms of representing childhood and the implications of such representing. The paper sets out the idea of otherness, locates this within current debate about the crisis of childhood, and then argues that non-representational approaches might be particularly relevant to progressing children's geographies. These approaches stress modesty, practice, experimentation, messiness, creativity and openness.

As we age, childhood becomes another country, a disputed territory of memory and meaning. Its true geography is quickly forgotten, giving away to an adult-imagined universe.

The contemporary adult vision of childhood has become so distorted as to render it opaque, and this opacity is seriously affecting how children grow up today. (Brooks 2006, pp. 4–5)

Keywords:

• children
• childhood
• otherness
• non-representational theory
• play
• witnessing

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the editors for their support and patience, and to two anonymous referees who, in different ways, helped very greatly.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Owain Jones

Email: [email protected]