ABSTRACT
A wave of recent research has revealed greater sophistication in young children’s social, emotional, and cognitive understandings than was previously expected. This research has been complemented by the fields of sociology and childhood and children’s rights, which affirm children as social actors who influence and are influenced by their social contexts; constructors of meaning through their many and varied interactions; experts on their own lives; and, with appropriate support, people who are competent to share this expertise. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child asserts the right of children to express their views on matters affecting them, and to do this in ways that make sense to them. Further, the same convention promotes children’s access to information and appropriate guidance as they exercise these rights.
These recent perspectives draw attention to the social and cultural contexts of young children and the ways in which they construct meaning. Many adults seek to shield young children from difficult, challenging, or emotionally charged situations. But others advance arguments that honest and open communication, conveyed in a safe context where children can ask questions and discuss their concerns, provides the basis for meaning-making and building understanding. This chapter recognizes that young children are rarely tourists on their own. They instead accompany adults to tourism sites, and it is through interactions with those adults, other adults and children, as well as the sites themselves, that they construct meaning. The importance of engaging in conversations with young children about emotionally provocative sites, and responding to their questions and concerns, provides the basis for the chapter. Methodologies that support such interactions are noted, and the significance of including young children in studies of dark tourism is emphasized.
