Constructions of rural childhood: challenging dominant perspectives

Abstract

This article reviews research on the lives and experiences of children and young people living in rural Minority world environments. The literature reviewed has focused on constructions of rurality in relation to children's experiences, most notably the rural idyll. Alternative constructions of rural childhood, characterised by dullness, horror and deprivation, are also apparent, and associated with insufficient rural activities, resources and transport, marginalisation and social exclusion. The more recent inclusion of children's perspectives on rural living provides a deeper understanding of rural childhood and challenges the dominant perspectives.

Keywords:

• rural childhood
• children
• rurality
• childhood studies

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support of the University of Otago Research Committee, by means of the University of Otago Postgraduate Publishing Bursary (PhD).

Notes

Minority world refers to the economically more privileged countries, such as Europe, United States, Australia and New Zealand. Majority world refers to the world area in which most of the world's population live, the economically poorer countries referred to as the ‘developing world’, namely Africa, Asia and Latin America. This distinction provides a means of dividing the world into broad areas of economic privilege and poverty, rather than using geographically inaccurate terms, or those with negative connotations.

In contrast to the Minority world emphasis on constructions of rurality in relation to childhood, Majority world research has primarily focused on rural children's work experience and, more recently, on the impact of globalisation and technological changes, migration and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.