ABSTRACT
The concluding chapter brings to forefront the overall contours of childhood in India. It augments the dualism between an “imagined”, “idealized” childhood and the “actual” childhood in the Indian society. On the one hand, childhood is marked by freedom and spontaneity, but on the other hand, it is structured. The ideal childhood is defined by freedom to express, speak, act and follow free will. In actual practice, in contrast, childhood is perceived as a time for civilizing and socializing children. Diverse constructions and images of children and childhood such as the innocent and pure “angelic”, corrupted, immature and adult-in-the-making, vulnerable and susceptible, indulged, regimented and disciplined, deprived, adultified, agentic, responsible and so forth appear. Each of these images presents a construction of childhood. However, none of them are exclusive in their construction and need to be viewed as having fluid boundaries.
