The Dark Side of Childhood in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages

Katariina Mustakallio, Christian Laes

• Publisher: Oxbow Books
• Year: 2011
• ISBN:
  9781842175699
• Topic: Sciences sociales
• Subtopic: Études des enfants en sociologie

This volume examines conceptions, ideas and habits connected with children in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, focusing on the "dark sides of childhood" in the pre-modern world. The authors investigate the long-term attitudes of people, as well as ruptures in habits and customs. The book is divided into three parts. "Unwanted" deals with parents who were unable to bring up their baby and handed it over to other people or the cruel whims of destiny. "Disabled" addresses what we would label as children's illnesses since disability was a concept largely unknown to ancient people. "Nearly Lost" examines demons, viewed as destructive forces with the ability to destroy children or young people, sometimes by literally sucking their lives away. The articles are written by an international team of specialists from Belgium, Finland, Italy and the United States and were presented at conferences organised by the research project "Religion and Childhood. Socialisation from the Roman Empire to Christian World", funded by the Academy of Finland (2009-2012, directed by Dr. Katariina Mustakallio), at the University of Tampere, Finland.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Introduction
• 1. Infant Abandonment and the Christianization of Medieval Europe
• 2. The Dynamics of Infant Abandonment: Motives, Att itudes and(Unintended) Consequences
• 3. Disabled Children in Gregory of Tours
• 4. Hungry Witches and Children in Antiquity and the Middle Ages
• 5. Sons of Demons? Children’s Impairment and the Belief inChangelings in Medieval Europe (c. 1150–1400)
• 6. Socialization Gone Astray? Children and DemonicPossession in the Later Middle Ages
• Bibliography
• Index