Strangers in the city: the structure and significance of children's fears of urban spaces

Wells, Karen (2002). Strangers in the city: the structure and significance of children's fears of urban spaces. Everyday Cultures Working Papers 4; Pavis Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes.

Abstract

This paper explores childrenʼs fears of unknown adults in public spaces. The culturally diverse identities of the largely working class participants unsettles a simple mapping of the figure of the stranger onto black, working-class or male identity. I suggest that these childrenʼs fears were not related to specific bodies but to specific everyday practices. In particular unknown adults violating private/public dichotomies evoked a range of negative emotions from disgust to terror.

Viewing alternatives

Item Actions

Export

You can export this page using these formats