Children Who Work: Child Labour in Multidisciplinary Perspectives

The global research landscape highlights the persistent prevalence of child labour and its continuing impact on children and society, particularly in the Global South. In the Global North, in comparison, child labour is largely overlooked, although there has recently been significant discussion regarding children's involvement in commercial social media activities, often analysed through the lens of childhood commodification.

This workshop convenes scholars from diverse disciplines − including anthropology, education, social psychology, and sociology − to deepen understanding of child labour from an interdisciplinary and international comparative perspective. The focus is on examining the socio-economic structures, legal frameworks, and historical aspects of child labour, as well as how children’s own perspectives shape their position within the generational order and in working societies. The discussion will cover the history of child labour, empirical findings on its drivers, and challenges faced by societies and children.   

The following questions will be discussed:

• When and how did child labour start to become precarious?
• What challenges exist in researching child labour?
• What theories and methods can enhance our understanding of child labour?
• What image of the child is constructed in the various approaches?

Further information (Link)