Established in 1998, ISA RC53 Sociology of Childhood Research Committee aims to contribute to the development of sociological and interdisciplinary childhood research, uniting professional knowledge, scientific rigour, and dedication of its members to work on childhood issues on the national, regional, and international levels. 

RC53 promotes and disseminates research on children’s presence and participation in social life. Until the last twenty years of 20th Century, children were prevalently studied as passive receivers of socialization processes and as learners in education systems. Starting from this background, Sociology of Childhood has been promoting new approaches according to which children are seen in their social relationships, as permanent social structure of society, as social actors in daily interactions and/or as agents of social change, in family, institutions, groups, communities. In these contexts, research analyses both the hierarchical order according to which children are submitted to adults’ rules, and the opportunity that children have to change these rules.

The Sociology of Childhood analyses children’s economic condition, institutional efforts to support children, how children are seen in society by parents, professionals and media, and children’s perspectives on their social environment and their relation with it. For this analysis, the sociology of childhood promotes empirical research based on both quantitative methods (using statistical analysis) and qualitative methods (using interviews, ethnographies and analysis of interactions).

The Sociology of childhood gives particular attention to the different forms of childhood and the different conditions of children’s life and participation, in a highly differentiated and unequal global society.

We invite you to find more information on our research committee, here.

Current Board:
Board 2023-2027
President: Valeria LLOBET, CONICET / UNSAM, Argentina, vllobet@unsam.edu.ar

Secretary/Treasurer:    Anne C. RAMOS, University of Fribourg, Switzerland, anne.ramos@unifr.ch

Online Communication Manager: Hamide Elif UZUMCU, University of Edinburgh, UK, hamideelif.uzumcu@ed.ac.uk

Board Members    
Tobia FATTORE, Macquarie University, Australia
Loretta E. BASS, University of Oklahoma, USA
Lise MOGENSEN, Western Sydney University, Australia
Yvonne M. VISSING, Salem State University, USA

Board 2018-2023
President: Lucia Rabello de Castro, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, lrcastro@infolink.com.br
Secretary/Treasurer: Bula Bhadra, Calcutta University, India, bhadrabula1990@gmail.com

Board Members:
Valeria Llobet, CONICET / UNSAM, Argentina
Maria Raquel Macri, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mariam John Meynert, Sweden
Ilknur Oner, Firat University, Turkey
Sharmla Rama, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Sabina Schutter, Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Board 2014 - 2018
President: Claudio BARALDI, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

Secretary/ Treasurer: 
Maria SIBIREVA, North-West Institute of Management, Russia, (2016-2018)
Géraldine ANDRÉ, University of Liège, Belgium (2015-2016)

Co-Publications Officers/Newsletter Editors:
Lucia RABELLO DE CASTRO, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Phillip MIZEN, Aston University Birmingham, United Kingdom

Officers at large: 
Lars ALBERTH, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Germany
Bula BHADRA, University of Calcutta, India
Tobia FATTORE, Macquarie University, Australia
Nashaat HUSSEIN, Misr International University, Egypt
Sharmla RAMA, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Mariam MEYNERT, Lund University, Sweden
Maria SIBIREVA, North-West Institute of Management, Russia

Board 2010 - 2014
President: Loretta BASS, University of Oklahoma, USA

Secretary/ Treasurer: Vinod CHANDRA, India

Officers at large:
Regine SIROTA, Université Sorbonne, France
Hsiao-Li SUN , Singapore
Maria ERIKSSON, Uppsala University, Sweden
Ethel KOSMINSKY, USA
Claudio BARALDI, Italy
Lars ALBERTH, Germany

Board 2006 - 2010
President: Doris BUEHLER-NIEDERBERGER, University of Wuppertal, Germany

Secretary: Alison COCKS, University of Reading, UK

Board Members:
Lucia RABELLO DE CASTRO, Universidade Federal Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Harriet STRANDELL, University of Helsinki, Finland
Robert VVAN KRIEKEN, University of Sydney, Australia
Loretta BASS, University of Oklahoma, USA
Régine SIROTA, Université Sorbonne, France
Elisabet NASMAN, Uppsala University, Sweden
Vinod CHANDRA, India

Board 2002 - 2006
President: Robert VAN KRIEKEN, Australia

Secretary: Jo MORAN-ELLIS, UK

Board Members:
Lucia RABELLO DE CASTRO, Brazil
Deepak KUMAR BEHERA, India
Doris BUHLER-NEIDERBERGER, Germany
Harriet STRANDELL, Finland
Guadalupe VEGA-LOPEZ, Mexico

Board 1998 - 2002
President: Leena ALANEN, Finland

Secretary: Sylvia TRNKA, Austria

Members:
Donald J. HERNANDEZ, USA
Robert van KRIEKEN, Australia
Deepak Kumar BEHERA, India
Jo MORAN-ELLIS, United Kingdom
Lucia RABELLO DE CASTRO, Brazil
Angelo SAPORITI, Italy
Helga ZEIHER, Germany

Board 1994 - 1998
Co-ordinator: Jens QVORTRUP, Denmark

Secretary: Sylvia TRNKA, Austria

Working Group
Recognized: 1994

Board 1990 - 1994
Co-ordinator: Jens QVORTRUP, Denmark

Secretary: Sylvia TRNKA, Austria

Thematic Group
Funded: 1990