Childhood and philosophical anthropology: a critical analysis of ideologies and imaginary

Abstract

This article analyzes childhood from an anthropological-philosophical perspective, deepening the understanding of this phenomenon as complex and multifaceted. Different ideologies refer to children and their childhoods based on a model or pattern that, in truth, are particular formulations and represent the interests of groups, especially those who exercise some form of power, to impose a crystallizing conception of childhood on society. The singularity of the caricature of the child drawn by the 'philosophies' exposes refractory perceptions of childhood, since, based on them, certain concepts were demarcated, fruitfully reproduced, and very little problematized in the subsequent development of Western pedagogy. From an anthropological perspective, we investigate the child as a social, cultural, imaginative, and creative being, analyzing the development of language, morality, and learning. This study has significant implications for educational theory and pedagogical practices, providing a basis for rethinking current approaches to early childhood education.