• Ramos Anne Carolina

• Ramos Anne Carolina

Children’s well-being in the 8-14 age group: relationships in social spaces

What do children need to feel good? Who do they like to spend time with and why? What relationships are important for their well-being and where do they take place? This seminar addresses issues of well-being and social relationships in childhood to better understand the role of family, friends, pets (and stuffed animals) in children’s lives, and the influence of the social spaces on children’s relationships. Theoretically, the Seminar draws on a key literature on children’s well-being, particularly studies that place children’s perspectives at the centre of their analysis. Empirically, the Seminar draws on the analysis of interviews conducted with children aged 8 to 14 on their subjective well-being as part of the WoKidS - Wohlbefinden von Kindern in der deutschsprachigen Schweiz (2021-2024) project. During the seminar, students are expected to bridge empirical and theoretical approaches, and to further develop their research skills.

After attending this seminar, you will:

• acquire knowledge about children’s well-being and gain an overview of the factors that are important in children’s lives
• understand the importance of social relationships to (children’s) well-being and know which people/animals/things are central to them and why
• understand the influence of social spaces on children’s social relationships
• learn how to interpret and analyze interviews with children about their well-being, combining empirical and theoretical approaches

The seminar will be held in English, but students may lead the discussion in German.