ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how new practice theories might provide more advanced theoretical and analytical perspectives for the study of childhood in the social sciences. It moves away from common conceptions of agency with reference to the dichotomy of structure and agency and reflects on the relationship of sociality, agency and actors as conceived in recent practice theories. In the main section, three key aspects of those theories are introduced and discussed: (1) the corporeality and material/mental structure of practices; (2) the role of artefacts and objects in the performance and reproduction of practices; and (3) the practice theory shift in perspective from intentionally acting human actors to multiple participants of practice and to agency as a feature and effect of practices. The concluding sections discuss the challenges which these practice theory reflections pose to childhood studies: To the extent that agency is conceptualised not only as a (biographically) incorporated characteristic of children as individuals but as a feature of practices in which children are involved as participants, it is understood to depend on situations and to be more variable, context-sensitive and complex than has been recognised in the field of childhood studies in the past. Practice theories are thus shown to open up new, differentiated heuristic perspectives for the field of Childhood Studies, which in turn challenge the adult-centrist approach of practice theories.
