Gender and Territoriality in Games Played by Nine- to Twelve-Year-Old Schoolchildren

Abstract

Taking recent ethnomethodological insights into gender as an ongoing interactional accomplishment as a starting point, a research group conducted an ethnographic exploration of the practices of gender differentiation among nine- to twelve-year-old schoolchildren in Germany. This article deals with a small segment of these practices: spontaneous territorial games, characterized by a high degree of physical activity in which the children split up into gender-homogeneous teams. Based on the detailed analysis of two recess situations, the article explores how gender-defined territories are achieved interactionally and how gender polarity is thus staged. The concluding play-theoretical reflections in particular show that territorial games simplify, alienate, and aestheticize gender arrangements.

Conquering the City

“…However, the picture changes dramatically when they changed the experimental setting and grouped the participants in male only and female only groups. In this new arrangement, males tended to have higher cooperation rates and be more territorially aggressive outside of the home territory while the females more cooperative and aggressive near the home territory [9,37].…”

An Investigation of Therapeutic Factors in Children's Groups.

“…Little research has examined the effect of group composition on group members. Most of the existing research, however, suggests that homogeneous groups are more cohesive (Henry, Desrosiers, & Landa, 2002; Kelle, 2000) and that group members are more satisfied in these groups (Perrone & Sedlacek, 2000).…”

Gênero E Geração: Dimensões Do Cuidado Nas Relações Educativas Na Educação Infantil

“…El enfrentamiento entre teoría y datos empíricos permitió a las investigaciones el surgimiento de categorías y ejes temáticos que configuraron los resultados de su análisis, entre los cuales se eligieron para la discusión categorías de cada investigación, ambas circunscritas en las relaciones educativas con los niños. El análisis resultante del diálogo entre las dos investigaciones (BUSS-SIMÃO, 2012; LESSA, 2019) anuncia las categorías relaciones generacionales (LESSA, 2019); procesos de generacionalización; orden generacional (ALANEN, 1994;; fronteras de género; neutralización (THORNE, 1993) y; las relaciones inter e intragénero (KELLE 1997(KELLE , 1999(KELLE , 2000 como importantes aportes al análisis crítico de la práctica educativo-pedagógica en la Educación Infantil.…”

“…and intragender relations (KELLE 1997(KELLE , 1999(KELLE , 2000 as important contributions to the critical analysis of the educative-pedagogical practice in Early Childhood Education.…”