Children and phenomenon of childhood in Russian history: contemporary research, discussions and events

The article gives a survey of contemporary historiography of childhood. It tracks the changes in history of Russian childhood since two first comprehensive volumes by Catriona Kelly and Alla Sal'nikova were published in 2007. Recently there was a quantitative breakthrough in childhood studies; children more often become historical subjects along with adults. However, it is still too early to think about history of childhood in Russia as a separate discipline. Many important markers of disciplinary substantiality, such as rubrics in library catalogues, are absent. At the same time, history of childhood is taking shape in discussions and research projects, in some universities that introduce History of Childhood as a separate course, etc. The main part of the paper deals with the phenomenon of Soviet childhood. The article touches on a number of issues, such as the concept of childhood that would reflect the changing view of adults on children and their place in society, reconstruction of the worlds of childhood as historical objects and subjects that leave different traces, etc. The most lacking is research on child's perception, history of childhood “from below” that would allow to see the world through children's eyes.