Förvaras oåtkomligt för barn. En diskursanalytisk studie om synen på barn, barndom och ålder i Statens medieråds åldersgränssättning av film

Abstract

This thesis examines how the ideas and discourses about children, childhood and age are constructed and reproduced in Statens medieråds narratives and descriptions about age- restriction for movies. It also examines how children’s own narratives about age-restriction are constructed. By using the theoretic perspectives of discourse analysis, children and childhood as socially constructed categories, a performative perspective on age and children as being or becomings, the essay examines documents that constitutes the age-restricting work and what is seen as harmful media content. The conclusion is that the idea of children as a homogenic group, being seen as equally developed regardless their social environment and experiences are dominating in the documents. The discourses of children as vulnerable and the idea of childhood constructed as a time of innocence and happiness are also produced. The conclusion is that age is seen as the main declaration for what a child are and can do, which enables the hegemonic discourse which allows adults power position over children.