Work

On your Marx, Escobar, Bourdieu: Theorising children’s public decision-making and aiming for change

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This article develops theoretical understanding of children’s participation in national-level public decision-making, strengthening insight into how to pursue influence. Using aspects of the work of Bourdieu, Marxist theories and Escobar’s writing on Epistemologies of the South, we analyse examples of participatory processes in four European countries, developed from interviews with young people and adults. Bourdieu focuses attention on the power to mobilise knowledge and the constraining role of doxa. Marxist collective action theories highlight learning through struggle, collective action, and social movements from above. Escobar reveals the power of sentirpensar-feelingthinking, localised autonomy and meshworks, to enact change in the now.

Source: Childhood

DOI: 10.1177/09075682261487262

Authors: Cath Larkins, Johanna Kiili

Institutions: University of Lancashire, University of Jyväskylä

Language: English

Topic: Children's Rights and Participation

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650