Childhood Flashcards
The modern western notion of childhood
(Jane pilcher)
- Jane pilchard notes that the most important feature of modern idea of childhood is separateness.
- seen as a clear and distinct life stage, have a different life stage to adults.
Seen in different ways such as what children are allowed to wear, products, toys, books etc.
This is related to the separateness of children’s status and is the idea that: childhood is a ‘golden age’ of happiness and innocence.
Western culture today, children are vulnerable and unable to fend for themselves.
Cross cultural differences in childhood
(Ruth Benedict)
- good way to illustrate the social construction is to look at how children are seen and treated in other times.
- Anthropologist Benedict argues that children in simpler non industrial societies are generally tested differently.
1) take responsibility from a young age - children are expected to work
2) less value is placed on children showing obedience to adults - doing as you are told is regarded as a concession to be granted by the child.
3) children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed differently - found that adults took an attitude of tolerance and interest towards children’s sexual explorations.
Benedict argues that there is much less of a dividing line between behaviour expected by children and adults - childhood is not a fixed thing.
Historical differences in childhood
(Aries)
The position of children differs overtime as well as between societies. Many sociologists argue childhood is a recent ‘invention’.
Aries argues that the idea of childhood doesn’t exist- children were not seen as having a different nature or needs from an adult.
In the Middle Ages, childhood as a desperate age stage was short, they were seen as mini adults and the law made no distinction between children and adults.
Evidence: Aries uses works of art from this time period to show how children has ‘no characteristic of children’
Childhood was depicted on a smaller scale
The modern cult of childhood
(Aries)
