THE DISAPPEARING CHILDHOOD in POSTMODERN SOCIETY: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Childhood is a socio-cultural concept that is shaped by historical and social conditions and is neither fixed nor universal. The economic, cultural, and political dynamics of each period have directly influenced how childhood is defined and experienced. With modernity, the concept of childhood gained clearer boundaries and was built upon the idea that children should be protected, educated, and separated from the adult world. However, in the postmodern era, this understanding has undergone significant transformations, and the boundaries between childhood and adulthood have become increasingly permeable.

This study examines the historical development of the concept of childhood and discusses, in a multidimensional way, the effects of postmodernism, popular culture, and digitalization on childhood. Today, the rapid advancement of technology, the widespread use of digital media tools, and the expansion of consumer culture targeting children lead them to encounter knowledge, experiences, and responsibilities associated with the adult world at an early age. In addition, changing family structures, transformations in parenting practices, and shifts in educational approaches are also reshaping the experience of childhood.

All these developments contribute to the blurring of the boundaries of childhood and pave the way for the phenomenon referred to in the literature as the “disappearance of childhood.” In this context, the study is grounded in the idea that childhood is not a natural and immutable stage, but rather a dynamic construct continuously reconstructed by social processes, and it aims to reveal how it is being transformed under contemporary conditions.