Children in the city at the end of the 20th century: The potential of socio-historical analysis for current and future comparative studies
The article discusses the potential of historical and sociological analysis for designing comparative research projects focusing on dynamic and stable properties of modern childhood. In the article, urban childhood of the last decade of the last century is described through the lens of 16 sociological studies. Three main areas of study are identified: behaviour of adolescents in the urban environment (mainly outside family control), children as pedestrians and their behaviour as a source of road accidents and street child labour and begging. The article outlines the current methodology used to study children, with examples of research that is in line with the participating approach, and takes into account the agency of young people living in a city.