The staff of the ILSIR and the Department of Sociology took part in organizing a round table on the sociology of childhood at the VII All-Russian Sociological Congress
On November 13, 2025, a discussion on the sociology of childhood was held at the HSE University as part of the 7th All-Russian Sociological Congress. The event was organized by Olga Savinskaya and Maxim Gurin, staff members of the International Laboratory of Social Integration Research and the HSE Department of Sociology, and Svetlana Mayorova-Shcheglova, professor at Moscow State University of Psychology and Education.
A roundtable discussion entitled "Children as a Hard-to-Reach Group: Access, Trust, and Rapport" was held on November 13, 2025, as part of the Seventh All-Russian Sociological Congress (VSK-7) "Sociology and Society: Formation and Functioning of Public Memory." Olga Borisovna Savinskaya , PhD in Sociology, Leading Researcher at the International Laboratory for Social Integration StudiesResearch, Mayorova-Shcheglova , Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor at Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, and Maxim Yuryevich Gurin , Research Intern at the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research and Lecturer at the Department of Methods of Collecting and Analyzing Sociological Information at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, were the main organizers of the roundtable discussion on the sociology of childhood.
The event took place in a beautiful location—a circular auditorium with a light-filled dome at the Higher School of Economics at 11 Myasnitskaya Street—where sociologists and childhood experts shared their research expertise in contemporary socio-legal and cultural realities.
The main drivers for discussing the limits of existing methods are new legislative initiatives to enhance child safety and protection from unwanted information, a new periodization of childhood and adolescence, and parental involvement in their lives. On the other hand, the development of a more child-friendly urban environment and the growth of the market for children's goods and services are already based on the first effective studies of children and have led to significant transformations in the material environment of childhood. This successful experience is pushing researchers to rethink and refine child study methods, explore the limits of these methods and develop them, clarify the ethical aspects of data collection and presentation, develop techniques for fostering children's trust and engagement during data collection, unlock their potential, and build constructive relationships with parents.
Several insightful presentations were delivered at the roundtable. A.A. Beschasnaya (RANEPA, St. Petersburg) presented her experience using drawing methods to study children raised in the city and their perceptions of urban space. She discussed the method's history and potential and presented a wealth of empirical data. A key feature of the method under discussion is that drawing allows for information to be collected directly from the child. This is rare, as a more common and, to some extent, simpler way to obtain information about childhood is to involve parents, rather than children themselves, in the study. During the discussion of the empirical material, a debate took place on the importance of combining the drawing method with other data collection methods that would facilitate the interpretation of the collected material—including children's stories about the material drawn and the involvement of experts in discussing the drawings.
E.V. Pryamikova (UrFU, Yekaterinburg) continued the topic of drawing methods and shared her unique experience using drawing mind maps that children created during focus groups. The method of creating mind maps of their hometown was integrated into a group discussion at school and greatly enriched the children's responses during the discussion, visually capturing their ideas. Furthermore, the use of mind maps proved to be a useful organizational tool for conducting an extended focus group and discussion with students in the same class at school. A discussion doesn't allow all the children to express their opinions, but drawing after an engaging introductory discussion about their hometown and life plans provided an opportunity for self-expression.
E.A. Kolosova (Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow) and S.N. Mayorova-Shcheglova (Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow) presented their perspective on the periodization of childhood, based on extensive research into childhood events. The authors discussed how their research aligns with existing legal periodizations. During their presentations, they discussed the important age of 14, which can now mark the boundary of childhood. It is no coincidence that this age is reflected in some legislative norms. Building on psychologists' periodizations and drawing on sociological research, they proposed creating their own sociological periodization. This thesis sparked a lively discussion about the characteristics of modern children's maturation, the specific events that mark modern adolescence, and the heterogeneity of the transition to adulthood for different groups of children.
S.A. Noga shared her experience of institutional engagement with families where a parent has a mental disorder in St. Petersburg. She presented in detail methodological materials for confidential conversations with children about their parent's disorder. The development of methodological materials is not only a key aspect of building a dialogue with a child to help them understand and accept their parents' unique characteristics, but also a foundation for discussions between experts from various organizations—medical, non-profit, educational, and research.
O.B. Savinskaya (HSE University, Moscow) presented the key assumptions and principles for developing a child-centered methodology, which is currently becoming the most discussed internationally within the new sociology of childhood. This methodology is based on a careful, vigilant approach to children's lives, understanding and recognizing the significance of their actions, competence, and dignity. When developing a modern methodology for studying children, it is important not only to focus on children but also to ensure successful, barrier-free, and trusting interactions during data collection. This aspect of research is well-developed by the concept of "methodological inclusion," which presupposes mental comfort during data collection and equal interactions in the field, where the adult accepts the rules of the child's world, the child accepts the adult's play, and trust and reflection are expected from all participants. N.P. Grishaeva (Institute of Sociology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow) supported the importance of involving children in solving issues that concern them and developing their creative potential, as demonstrated by her original methodology for developing developmental communication in kindergarten.
The roundtable discussion covered a variety of topics and groups of children, and confirmed the contemporary thesis about the diversity of childhood and the importance of fine-tuning the methodological approach for each specific study.
Research Assistant
Olga Savinskaya
Leading Research Fellow