Abandono y protección de niños: Lo que dejó Europa

Based upon the works of J. Boswell and Castel, we present an historical account in order to present an interpretation on the changes of the meaning of the practices of child abandonment and child protection in Europe. This is not a historiographic reconstruction, but instead an attempt of the different meanings that these practices according to their context. This is one “history” among other possible that could unveil other practices and conceptions of them. The variety of these practices that emerged historically in Europe could be relevant to comprehend the history of these practices in other societies. That is the heuristic value that is developed here offering key elements to build Weberian idealstypes on the aforementioned practices.