Where to and why? Children on meaning and value from a new materiality perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of the present article is to discuss what children regard as important in life and how they view the purpose of life. We proceed from a new materiality perspective. The results are based on a study conducted in Sweden among 40 6- to 9-year-old children in two different classes in two elementary schools. A qualitative data-collection method was used involving text reading and movie viewing. In the present article, we begin with a theoretical discussion of the new materiality perspective before presenting our results. The findings show that children perceive togetherness, kindness, fairness and freedom as basic values for their own part and that they consider wealth and family to be basic societal values. There is a value differentiation going on in children’s thinking, a result of which is that some values step out as basic values for children. A map of values is construed that aims to explicate children’s value orientation.