[ecrea] new publication: “It’s a complicated situation”. Harm in everyday experiences with technology.

Castro, T. (2015). “It’s a complicated situation”. Harm in everyday
experiences with technology. A qualitative study with school-aged
children. (PhD European Doctorate), Universidade do Minho, Instituto de
Educação. Retrieved from
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6721791/Teresa%20Castro%20PhD%20Thesis.pdf 



Summary

This study is informed by children’s rights to participation in research
and an endeavour of respectfully give a space to children’s voices and
constructed understandings concerning the complex, changing and
challenging nature of their digital everyday lives. As Alice (aged 10)
states during a group discussion about parents digital competencies, and
is used to summarize this research, “It’s a complicated situation”
(GM_AP_PG1_170214).

Alice’s statement is significantly important in the way it dissolves
dualisms as the ones encapsulated in public and academic debates when
addressing technology, more vigorously if referring to children,
underpinned by social or technological determinisms, with a powerful
focus on hopes and fears, risks and opportunities. This research aims to
mature and overcome these dualities by embracing a multi-lens dialogue,
stimulated by participants’ narratives and covering different
perspectives coming from the sociology of risk, childhood studies,
socio-technical studies and strands of critical criminology literature.
In particular, Zemiology, as proposed by critical criminology, plays a
key role when scrutinizing the qualitative data generated by the
participants guiding both its analysis and interpretation to move beyond
the narrow and limiting scope of risk, its unpredictability and the
individualization thesis that denies children’s agency. Its more
holistic and inclusive model enables a better understanding of the
intricacies of children’s digital and online experiences, taking as a
starting point, everyday situations and by privileging children’s voices
and perspectives as the main source of understanding.

This qualitative study was guided by two objectives: to understand the
personal values and meanings children might use to interpret their
technologized lives and, to uncover unintended harmful outcomes that may
be (more or less) hidden in children’s everyday digital lives.
Recognising children as competent ‘agents in their own right’, a dynamic
participatory approach was used to reach the intricacies of the
relationships between the participants (a total of 41, mostly girls and
aged 10-12) and digital and online technologies in late modernity. The
qualitative data generated by participants’ heterogeneous and critical
accounts is organized in three key themes: i) digital inequalities, ii)
controlling parental control and iii) online participation. The findings
provide relevant information to society in general and to families and
other agents in charge of the care and education of the child, in
particular.

Control and agency are central aspects that cut across each key theme
and destabilise romantic westernised constructions of childhood that no
longer embody the contemporary child. From a harm perspective, evidence
in the study suggests that children’s rights can be compromised when
digital expectations and needs are not met or collide with digital
assumptions taken for granted. Protection and participation rights
online are challenged when parents use panoptical and paternalistic
strategies that affect children’s decisions, judgements and development.
However, the narratives do not exclusively depict the child-victim.
Findings insinuate that children are excluding adults’ from their
digital lives, based on digital competence, freedom and moral values.
Moreover, children are actively engaging in ambiguous behaviours online
that include sexual socialization, carelessness, rude and abusive
behaviours and criminal practices. Granting access and use does not per
se support children to pursue wise and empowering participation online.
This thesis concludes that inclusive strategies instead, would enable to
enhance children’s digital wisdom, engage generations, strengthen bonds
of solidarity, reintegrate adults in children’s lives and encourage
children to exercise their agency and individuality within the broader
societal framework.

This thesis is structured in five chapters. Chapter one develops an
overview of the study in its theoretical context, the research
objectives and the methodological framework adopted.

Chapter two provides a sample of the theoretical framework that
contextualizes and offers explanations that help clarify the phenomenon
under study. The theoretical framework presented develops from the study
itself drawing on contributions from the sociology of risk, childhood
studies, socio-technical studies and aspects of critical criminology.

The third chapter details the research design, including the
participatory methodology used, access to the participants, the data
analysis decisions and the centrality of ethical principles and
considerations throughout the research process.

The fourth chapter centres on the analysis and discussion of the
qualitative data generated by the participants. The chapter offers a
profound and detailed description and interpretation of real and
everyday problems enclosed in three key themes: digital inequalities,
controlling parental control, and online participation. The events were
selected considering the complexities and subjectivities they represent
and how they may affect children’s needs, development and rights
(provision, protection, participation) in a different sort of aspects
(e.g. social, educational, emotional, criminal) in the everyday context.

Finally, chapter five summarizes the research, assesses the strengths
and weaknesses of the study in its entire process and points for future
research paths.

Teresa Sofia Pereira Dias de Castro
/PhD em Tecnologia Educativa| Educational Technology, PhD
Instituto de Educação - Universidade do Minho| //Institute of Education
- University of Minho/

Curriculum DeGois
<http://www.degois.pt/visualizador/curriculum.jsp?key=8473271903637480>
ORCID <http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7148-9443>
Academia.edu
<https://uminho.academia.edu/TeresaSofiaCastro?notification_code=b4QR4fFO>
Linkedin
<https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=AAIAAALjrvUBVwirdiWpfN13CiPCcZyuc_hMa4g&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic>


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