Resumen

AVERSA, María Marta. Vagos, mendigos y delincuentes: La construcción social de la infancia peligrosa. Buenos Aires, 1900-1910. Cuad. Sur, Hist. [online]. 2003, n.32, pp. 9-25. ISSN 1668-7604.

This paper looks into a social issue, namely, that of neglected and delinquent childhood in the city of Buenos Aires (1900-1910) taking into consideration its appearance and the theoretical-political framework necesssary to understand such phenomena as vagrancy, mendacity and child delinquency. The problem posed by children hit the political life of the early 20^th century generatting extensive debate in intellectual, professsional and political circles. The appearance of "new problems" related to poor living conditions prevalent in the popular sector began to attract the attention of the ruling classes, who perceived them as the cause of social unrest. In this context, new practices and political programmes executed by the State were addressed to the children in question, thus turning them into the subject of scientific and political discourse as well as the object of strategies to bring moral order and normality to their lives. This conceptual reorientation turns children into the strategic core of the change introduced to the modernization project both in their role as prospective citizens and workers.

Palabras llave : Childhood; Power; Normalization.