ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on fieldwork conducted between October 2016 and April 2017 that is an exploration of childhood in relation to child labour in the socio-political-legal context of Bolivia. It argues that a working childhood in Bolivia is ‘normal’ within the national context, and would only be considered ‘other’ if approached from a global north perspective. The chapter examines the background to the research; the socio-political context of Bolivia. It discusses how childhood is experienced by working children in Bolivia, concentrating on ideas of ‘responsible’ childhood and ‘political’ childhood. The high incidence of children that work in Bolivia means that experiences of childhood differ from the normative view of childhood experienced in the global north. In addition, many children have experienced a very politicised childhood through participation in organised unions and campaigns for the right to work. The relationship between working children, child labour and childhood is compound, but has often been understood through binaries.
