This will be the guiding question of the 2026 edition of the Child & Teen Consumption conference, which will be held from 22 to 24 April at King’s College London.
To get to the heart of this question, we invite researchers to re-examine what it means to be a child or teen consumer in contexts characterised by rapid technological change, the climate crisis, geopolitical instability and conflict, economic hardship, and deepening social and ideological divides. What do children make of these circumstances, what role(s) do they play in them, and what does it mean for our notions of pre-adulthood? Likewise, how are these contexts changing how adults—parents, caregivers, relatives, educators, institutions, governments— assert authority over, protect, or attempt to shape childhood experiences?
We invite all disciplines to contribute historical and contemporary reflections on the following themes, though submissions beyond these themes are also welcome.
Agency in the digital economy – Popular gaming platforms like Roblox and Fortnite are eroding boundaries between child and adult consumer markets. Where does this leave the child as an economic agent? The blurring of boundaries also raises questions around privacy, intimacy, the circulation of data doubles in advertising markets. How is technology changing intimate relationships, not only intergenerationally and with peers, but also with corporate and governmental actors? What are the material ramifications of childhoods that are partly lived on, or within, digital platforms?
Sustainability and the climate crisis – Children and youth are increasingly vocal on the climate crisis, making consumption choices and participating in civic protests—and challenging us to reconsider our assumptions about their role in shaping sustainable futures. How do young people navigate the tensions between consumer culture and environmental responsibility? In what ways are they both constrained by and resisting dominant market forces? How are sustainability discourses shaping the ways adults conceptualize childhood and youth, whether as activists, consumers, or future citizens?
Changing institutions of childhood – Schools, families, and legal frameworks are evolving in response to shifting cultural, technological, and economic conditions. How are educational institutions, parenting norms, and child-related policies adapting to (or resisting) these changes? How do new institutional landscapes shape the marketplace experiences and expectations of children and youth? How do children and youth relate, in turn, to these institutions?