Beyond Numbers

Children, Agency, and Archival Absence

Authors

Keywords:

Archives, Children, Agency, Statistics, Inclusion, Omission, Absence

Abstract

“Beyond Numbers” tries to navigate the question of children’s representation within the archives, particularly in terms of their agency being neglected or mediated by someone else. Although historical and archival records largely mention or record them in terms of numbers, anonymous data, and censuses, their individuality remains absent. Evoking the idea of omission and inclusion, and devoid of agency, the collage therefore acts as an intervention that calls people to address this void and create spaces for children to become individual agents.

Author Biography

Shlok Trivedi, School of Liberal Studies, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi

Shlok Trivedi is a Master’s student of History at Dr B. R. Ambedkar University, Delhi. He is deeply interested in peace, writing, art, and culture. His ideas emerge from sustained reflection and occasional moments of spontaneous insight. He has previously worked as an illustrator for the poetry anthology मनकही.

References

Asiedu, Dita. “The Diary of My Brother—a Child’s Testimony that Life Can Go On, Even Amid the Horrors of the Holocaust.” Radio Prague International. Accessed December 24, 2025. https://english.radio.cz/diary-my-brother-a-childs-testimony-life-can-go-even-amid-horrors-holocaust-8095144.

Chandra, Prabodh. Rape of Rawalpindi. Lahore: Punjab Riot Sufferers' Relief Committee, 1947.

Lakhtakia, Sukriti. "Partitions, Literature, and Writing the Child in Basti and The Shadow Lines." The Critical Childhoods and Youth Studies Collective (CCYSC). Accessed December 24, 2025. https://www.theccysc.com/partition-essay4.

Michlic Joanna Beata, Yuliya von Saal, and Anna Ulric. “Childhood during War and Genocide: Agency, Survival, and Representation.” Introduction, European Holocaust Studies 5, (2024): 7-27. https://doi.org/10.46500/83535599.

Palat, Madhavan K. “Genocide: Barbarism in the Twentieth Century.” Reading द Archive. Accessed September 27, 2025. YouTube video, 1:51:11. https://youtu.be/9p-9W5SK0xI?si=nrtVBywDHOyrn_kb.

Sparrman, Anna, Victoria Hoyle, and Johanna Sjöberg. “Children as Archive Producers, Participants, and Agents: Introduction to the Special Issue on Children and Archives.” Archives and Records 45, no. 3 (2024): 207–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/23257962.2024.2415693.

Walter, Natasha. “Only the Children Count.” The Guardian. July 13, 2002. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jul/13/biography.classics.

Cover image

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Published

06-01-2026

How to Cite

Trivedi, Shlok. 2026. “Beyond Numbers: Children, Agency, and Archival Absence ”. Reading the Archive 1 (2, December):1-7. https://readingarchive.janastu.org/ria/article/view/91.

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