Prof. C. Jarzebowski: Violence and Emotion. Children and Youth in Early Modern Europe and beyond

Name: Prof. C. Jarzebowski: Violence and Emotion. Children and Youth in Early Modern Europe and beyond
Start: 2026-04-28T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Wydział Historii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego

Schedule

Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 at 06:00 pm

UTC+02:00

Location

Wydział Historii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego | Warsaw, MZ

Serdecznie zapraszamy na wykład wtorkowy na Uniwersytecie Warszawskim:
„Violence and Emotion. Children and Youth in Early Modern Europe and beyond.“
Moderacja: Prof. Tomasz Wiślicz
Miejsce wydarzenia: Uniwersytet Warszawski (Uniwersitet Warszawski, Sala A, Wydział Historii)
Partner: Wydział Historii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Wykład w języku angielskim.
Children are among the most vulnerable groups in society, both today and in early modern times. In fact, children throughout history have been exposed to violence: in times of war, on migration routes, in their working environments, in slavery and serfdom, boys and girls alike. In addition to these contexts of violence, children also experienced direct physical violence in everyday life: through punishment (whipping, beating, even capital punishment), sexual assault, denial of food, and much more.
The contexts and practices of violence against children raise two further aspects and questions: First, one may ask whether people in the early modern period—adults, teachers, parents, supervisors, lawyers, theologians, and many others—had any idea of the emotional impact of violence on children, whether directly as victims or as witnesses to violence against others (e.g., in public executions or pillories).
Second, from a methodological point of view: How can historians study such a vulnerable and often abused social group that has left behind hardly any sources (diaries, letters, etc.) about their experiences with emotional and physical violence?
Ultimately, the lecture advocates for a shift in perspective in the history of childhood, one that focuses more on children and their emotional capacities. This could be a way to finally get past the idea underlying traditional approaches to the history of childhood, which emphasizes neglect and indifference toward young people more than parental care and affection. A child-centered approach helps shift perspectives and allows for multi-perspective approaches through the lens of the history of emotions.