Monique Voltarelli

Studying childhood in Latin America requires considering the context of social inequality in which so many children are immersed, as well as the complexity of thinking about the pluralization of childhood and the multiplicity of life experiences of children in this region. Children encounter scenarios of discrimination, subordination and social segregation, among other situations that configure their action in a society that distances them from the universal, ideal understanding of childhood that is associated with schooling and play; nor are they always protected in those institutional spaces that should guarantee their full development. In this respect, thinking about Latin American children's protagonism and participation in their own lifeworlds requires an understanding of the different social realities that do not promote given, ready-made types and styles, but which are built on the dynamics of relationships, spaces, places and times so that the participation occurs. The present study aims to address reflections on child protagonism in Latin America through an exploratory study of the scientific publications on the subject in the Spanish-speaking countries of the continent in recent years, in order to identify how the concept has been understood and discussed in the academic environment. This literature, which has historically occupied the social and scientific margins, will make it possible to understand the different experiences of living childhood in these countries, and to dialogue with the issues and problems that permeate children’s lives. These problems demand attention, and call for initiatives and spaces for participation that will act to increase the social visibility of children.