Ideological Constructions of Childhood: Considerations for Children’s Subjective Well-Being

AbstractIn this chapter, we use Thompson’s Depth Hermeneutics as a lens to explore the notion that the relationship between child and adult society within social, cultural, political, and historical locations is imbued with ideology. We further explore the extent to which children’s discursive constructions and meaning assignations of subjective well-being are ideologically configured. It is through this ideological configuration that the context for children’s vulnerable position is brought into focus. The study questions how the interests of society construct and foreground certain representations of children as opposed to others. To what extent is this silencing, exploiting, and contributing to children’s experiences of childhood, and given the focus of the current study, how does it contribute to their vulnerability? More specifically, the study aims to examine the extent to which children’s discourses are ideologically configured. Finally, the study aims to ascertain the extent to which the ideologically nature of childhood influences their subjective well-being. We use data from a qualitative study on children’s well-being, conducted with children between the ages of 12–14 years. Data were analysed using the three phases of socio-historical analysis, discursive analysis, and interpretation/reinterpretation.