Social Objects in Sub-Saharan Africa and Child Development

This research studies the influence of the relationship to objects on personal development. Here, we are interested in the impact of the relationship to water on the subjectification or subjective development of children in rural sub-Saharan Africa. We argue that the involvement of adults close to children (significant adults) around objects will transform these objects. These objects will no longer be isolated objects but will be more capable of supporting the personal development of these children. These objects will be referred to here, with emphasis, as social objects. Through the establishment of three types of social involvement (natural, concerted and persistent) around our object (water), we will artificially construct three types of social objects that will refer to three different situations of relationship to water. The main results show that the situation of the so-called concerted relationship to water is more conducive to the subjectification of rural children in sub-Saharan Africa. The relevance of a natural relation to an object for the personal development of children will be discussed.