Childhoods in the City: Tensions, Rights, and Inclusion Practices

Abstract

This theoretical-critical essay reflects on how childhood is recognized in the production of the city and on children’s active role in transforming urban spaces. Drawing on Critical Social Psychology and on authors such as Milton Santos and Francesco Tonucci, it is argued that the right to the city must encompass children’s participation in the present, rather than rely solely on their imagined futures. Methodologically, the essay is inspired by Walter Benjamin, assembling a theoretical-critical montage to weave together fragments selected through close, critical reading of the literature. The invisibility of children in urban planning is discussed, along with play as a counter-hegemonic practice and strategies to enhance inclusivity for children in cities. Three fronts of action are presented as ways of expanding children’s protagonism: tactical urbanism, exemplified by the Mais Vida nos Morros program in Recife, in northeast Brazil; participatory budgeting, with attention to initiatives that meaningfully incorporate children into decision-making processes; and university outreach projects that bring academic and community knowledges into dialogue. The study's findings indicate that ensuring children's rights in urban environments necessitates a departure from hegemonic practices that have historically marginalized them. It emphasizes the importance of implementing inclusive public policies and acknowledging children as legitimate agents of social transformation. This essay contributes to the ongoing discourse on praxis, dialogues, and confrontations by elucidating the diverse experiences, knowledge, and agents involved in the production of urban space.