5. Descibing Family Relationships: Children Flashcards
How is childhood viewed of sociologists
in the 1950s Parsons viewed children in terms of requiring socialisation. Aries in 1960 argued that childhood was a social construction while first world countries see them as a being to take care of and to socialise, developing countries see children as a source of income.
James and Prout in 1997 emphasised the social construction of childhood by arguing that children are biologically immatures but the meanings attached to childhood are socially constructed.
How does this British society view children
Pilcher in 1995 argued that the British society is child-centered and that parents are having fewer children in order to put more time and energy into their children.
Children can be viewed as consumers of goods as government services and therefore, have laws to protect them to ensure theyre looked after causing social pressure on parents to buy their childrens things in order to satisfy them.
How is childhood threatened (1)
in 1994 Postman argued that childhood is disappearing and used evidence such as:
- childrens rights
- Children’s access to the adult world-media
- children’s ability to imitate parents
By 2006 Palmer argued that the modern childhood was toxic because working parents deprived children of adult time and are therefore, damaged through technology change, junk food and tvs.
She claimed these factors lead to obesity, self harm, drug abuse, early sex and parenthood as she blames the increase of media and bad parenting.
How is childhood threatened (2)
Furedi in 2008 suggested that parenting is a skill which people must learn. Gillies pointed out that this can be a class and gender issue for mothers as the new right identified poverty being linked to poor parenting.
