2⃣ Childhood 2) Historical Differences In Childhood Flashcards
Why sociologist believed that in medieval Europe, the idea of childhood did not exist
Aries
What does historical differences in childhood mean
⚫️the position of children
➡️changes over time
⚫️the modern western idea of childhood
➡️is a relatively recent intervention
What are the three main reason why aries believed that in the medieval europe the idea of childhood did not exists
⚫️children were not seen as having
➡️different nature from adults
⚫️work began at an early age
⚫️children were mini adults
➡️with same rights, duties, and skills as adults
Describe another sociologists view, apart from aries of the historical differences in childhood
⚫️shorter
➡️parental attitudes towards children were very different
➡️high child death rates
➡️encouraged indifference and neglects
➡️especially towards infants
Describe the modern notion of childhood
⚫️began to emerge from 13th century:
⚫️school began to specialise
➡️only in education of the young
⚫️church increasingly saw children as
➡️fragile creatures of God
➡️need discipline and protection
➡️from worldly evil
⚫️growing differences between
➡children’s and adults clothing
➡️setting children apart from adults
Describe aries view of the modern notion of childhood
⚫️resulted in the emergence of
➡️modern cult of childhood
⚫️the 20th century
➡️was century of the child
How did aries show that childhood is socially constructed
⚫️by showing ideas about children
➡️status
➡️treatment
➡️varied over time
Name Why has the position of children changed
⚫️social changes during the 19th and 20th century:
➡️lower infant mortality rates and smaller families
➡️laws banning child labour
➡️the idea of children rights
➡️laws about social behaviour
How did lowering infant mortality rates and smaller families changed the position of children?
⚫️more infant surviving
➡️mean parents had fewer children
➡️and made greater financial and emotional investment in them
How did law banning child labour changed the position of children?
⚫️from 1840s onwards ➡️changed children ➡️from economic assets ➡️to economic liabilities ➡financially dependant on their parents
How did the idea of children’s right changed the position of children?
⚫️children act 1989
➡️sees parents as having responsibilities
➡️towards their children
➡️rather than rights
How did the law about social behaviour changed the position of children?
⚫️minimum ages for a wide range if activities
➡️from sex to smoking
➡reinforce the attitude
➡️that children are different from adults
Explain the underlying cause of the position of children changing
⚫industrialisation ➡️modern society needs an educated workforce ➡️compulsory education is needed ➡️higher standards of living ➡️resulting from industrialisation ➡️lead to lower infant mortality rates
