Manfred Liebel

Working Children as Social Subjects The Contribution of Working Children's Organizations to Social Transformations

The article focuses on the question of what significance the organizations of working children, which have sprung up in various regions of the Third World since the 1980s, have for processes of transformation in their societies. First, it looks at the common ground shared by the working children and their organizations in different countries. Second, it discusses what kind of social subject emerges from this discussion. Finally, the article asks what possible effects these organizations have on the children themselves or on the society around them.

Paths To Participatory Autonomy The meanings of work for children in Germany

This article examines the experiences of working children aged between 9 and 14 years in a German city, and the meanings the children ascribe to their work. This qualitative study is based upon a broad concept of work, which includes both unpaid and paid work. As far as work is concerned, the most important thing for children is being able to act independently and find approval for their work. They prefer to receive adequate payment as a form of recognition, but money is not a necessary motive nor the only motive for working. Childrens attitude towards their work differs according to a number of factors: whether it offers the opportunity to perform their skills; the concrete use it has for others, and how far that work is appreciated by adults in their social environment. Work is not regarded as being in competition with school, but is seen as an additional opportunity for children to gain new experiences and expand their scope of activities. Work experience can become an important element in childrens participative autonomy. Thus it can potentially strengthen their social status and encourage girls and boys to play an active role in society.

Pandillas juveniles en Centroamérica o la difícil búsqueda de justicia en una sociedad violenta

Desde la decada de 1960 sur ge entre los jovenes que viven en los barrios populares de las urbes lati-noamericanas un nuevo tipo de agrupaciones,conocido en Mexico como chavos banda.Referente ala region centroamericana, donde se habla de maras y pandillas juveniles, el articulo da una vision de lahistoria y extension de estos grupos, y analiza sus caracteristicas sociales, actividades y significados.La investigacion dedica especial atencion a los modelos culturales y a las nociones sobre los valoresy las relaciones sociales en las pandillas.El autor sondea los motivos y las causas que llevan a los jovenesa organizarse en este tipo de agrupaciones,poniendo especial enfasis en el tema de la violencia e inter-pretando la actuacion de las y los pandilleros como una dificil busqueda de una sociedad mas justa.As of the 1960s, a new type of grouping emer ged among young people living in the poorer neighbor-hoods of Latin American cities, in Mexico they are known as chavo banda (gangsters). Regarding theCentral America region, where they are called Maras and juvenile gangs, this article gives a view onthe history and extension of these groups,and analyzes their social characteristics,activities and signifi-cance.The research pays special attention to cultural models and the notions on values and social rela-tionships in gangs.The author sounds out the motives and causes which lead young people to organizethemselves into this type of group, placing special emphasis on the theme of violence and interpre-ting the behavior of gangsters as a difficult quest for a fairer society.

Protecting the Rights of Working Children instead of Banning Child Labour

In Bolivia, a Children and Youth Code has come into force, which sets new standards for the understanding and implementation of children’s rights. It interprets children’s rights within the traditions of indigenous communities and with respect to the social and cultural reality of the country. For the first time, regulations are stipulated for working children which do not simply prohibit their work. Instead rights and protective measures are granted to protect them from exploitation and power abuse and at the same time to enable them to live in dignity. This section of the code, which triggered controversial debates internationally, is at the core of this paper. First, the most significant elements of the Act are set out in order to address the issue of working children. Its conflict-ridden history is reconstructed by reflecting on an earlier draft that had been developed by working children and adolescents themselves. Finally, the meaning of the new act for working children is critically acclaimed.

Barrio gangs en Estados Unidos: un reto a la sociedad excluyente

The barrio gangs in the United States, formed by Latin-American youngsters, have become an indelible part of the youth culture and represent the problems of second, third and fourth generation descendants of immigrants, within a society that denies them a dignified existence and complicates their life with excluding racist practices.These gangs also reflect the fast paced restructuration of the capitalist economy that generates an impoverished underclass with no other parmeans of survival other than engaging in unregulated and illegal activities.The author analyzes the cultural practices of Latino gangs, as well as the significance that the barrios have on the self image and behavior of gang members. In particular, the paper touches the role of women in gangs, which has been a frequently overlooked subject. Finally it analyzes the historical conditions for the appearance and transformation of Barrio gangs in the United States.

Children Without Childhood? Against the Postcolonial Capture of Childhoods in the Global South

The phrase ‘children without childhood’ is used particularly with respect to so-called developing countries. Eurocentric modes of thought related to colonial history are embodied in this term. In this chapter the way in which children and childhoods do not correspond with predominant European or Global Northern understanding is examined in the light of postcolonial studies and theories. Suggestions for possible alternative approaches and conduct are made. Additionally, after providing an overview of the most important postcolonial streams of thought, it is argued how postcolonial perspectives can be made productive for childhood studies. Critiques of the ‘colonisation’ of childhood, which were articulated in the 1970s and 1980s, are followed by a debate on today’s childhood politics as they converted into practice in the frame of so-called development policies. Special attention is placed on the treatment of indigenous and working children.

From Evolving Capacities to Evolving Capabilities: Contextualizing Children’s Rights

Children are entitled to human rights regardless of their capacities. However, it is to be questioned what conditions have to be in place to enable children to make use of their rights, be it claiming them from society or exercising them themselves. Up to now, the concept of ‘evolving capacities’ which is codified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was applied for this purpose. This concept however is understood in different ways: as a precondition for the use of rights or as a result of a learning process that (also) arises from the knowledge about and the use of rights. In contrast to this, the present chapter argues for a contextualized concept of children’s rights which connects the view of subjective capacities with a view to the social prerequisites for children dealing with their rights wilfully. To this end, this chapter depicts to what extent the concept of capabilities elaborated in different versions of the Capability Approach can be used and refined with a look at children (in terms of ‘evolving capabilities’). In this context, special attention will be given to theoretical aspects of social justice and particularly to children’s sense of justice, especially those who are living in socially disadvantaged situations.

Los movimientos de los niños y niñas trabajadores. Un enfoque desde la sociología

Para comprender los aspectos significativos de los movimientos y organizaciones de ninos, y ninas trabajadores (NATs), que surgen en varias regiones del hemisferio sur desde los anos 1980, el autor se refiere a un concepto del nino y la nina como sujeto capaz de interpretar sus realidades y actuar de manera consciente. Primero, se examina si hay puntos en comun en el auto concepto de los NATs y sus organizaciones. Segundo, se discute la categoria del sujeto social, preguntando en que medida dicha categoria representa estos puntos comunes, pero tambien a que prerrequisitos sociales y culturales esta ligado el hablar de sujeto social. Tercero, el autor pregunta que efectos tienen o pueden esperarse de los movimientos de NATs, ya sea en los ninos involucrados o en la sociedad que los rodea y que comparten. Finalmente, se concentra en las implicaciones que tiene el enfoque orientado en el sujeto para comprender el fenomeno del trabajo infantil en toda su complejidad, en particular en sus significados para los ninos y ninas trabajadores.

Andere Kinder, andere Jugendliche

Mit Blick auf die deutschsprachige Kindheits- und Jugendforschung konstatiert der Autor, sie sei eurozentrisch beschrankt. Sie beziehe sich kaum auf Kinder und Jugendliche in anderen Landern, Kontinenten und Kulturen und werde den mit den Globalisierungsprozessen einhergehenden Veranderungen im Leben und Selbstverstandnis von Kindern und Jugendlichen insbesondere im Globalen Suden nicht gerecht. Es wird dargelegt, in welcher Weise sich in den „abweichenden“ Formen des Jungseins neue soziokulturelle Formationen vorbereiten, die neue theoretische und praktische Anstrengungen erforderlich machen.

In the children’s best interests?

In der UN-Kinderrechtskonvention wird den „best interests of the child“ als leitendem Prinzip ein besonderer Rang zugewiesen. Gleichwohl wird nahezu nie gefragt, worin die Interessen von Kindern bestehen, wie sie zustande kommen und welche Bedeutung ihnen fur das Verstandnis der Kinderrechte und eine daran orientierte Praxis zukommt. Im Beitrag werden deshalb die Zusammenhange von Kinderrechten und Kinderinteressen naher beleuchtet. Zunachst wird gefragt, wie der Begriff des Interesses mit Blick auf Kinder verstanden werden kann und welche Arten von Kinderinteressen zu unterscheiden sind. Anschliesend wird der Frage nachgegangen, welchen Stellenwert der Interessenbegriff in der Kinderrechtskonvention hat und warum es problematisch ist, das Prinzip der „best interests of the child“ im Deutschen mit dem Terminus „Kindeswohl“ gleichzusetzen. Nach einem Uberblick uber die Verwendung des Interessenbegriffs in Kindheitsforschung und Padagogik wird abschliesend begrundet, warum den Interessen fur ein Verstandnis der Kinderrechte als subjektive oder Handlungsrechte besondere Bedeutung zukommt und wie diese als Impuls fur die Einforderung und Durchsetzung der Kinderrechte wirken konnen.