childhood

Question 1

social construction of childhood

Answer 1

sociologists see childhood as asocial construct, there is no time where childhood begins and ends in every society

• Jane Pilcher 1995 sees childhood as distinctly separatee from adult hood and characterised by a number of privlags and protections
• unclear where childhood ends - childhood is very different in other parts of the world for example child soldiers

Stephan Wagg 1992 argues there is no universal deffinition of childhood , it is experienced differently in eachildhood is toxic lacking in social skills, obese etc

Question 2

March of progress for childhood

Answer 2

• Philippe Aries, 1962 suggests children in the middle ages were little adults
• in the 19th c childeren went to work in dangerous conditions prone to diseases
• some sociologists talk of the “march pf progress’ from dangerous childhood of the Industrial Revolution to todays protected and privileged
• Edward Shorter suggested that childhood has a functional FIT with todays society , we need people to be more educated so people do not start working until they are older
• now live in a child centred society

Question 3

evaluating the march of progress

Answer 3

child liberationists argue that children are too protected, their rights are restricted and they are oppressed

• Gitteins talk s about age patriarchyadults make children dependant to maintain authority
• Sue Palmer - suggests that child

Question 4

childhood is disappearing

Answer 4

• Neil Postman argues that childhood is disappearing
• children grow up very quickly main driver to this is tv and internet, children can access adult content
• children are sexualised I the media
• postman argues that there is an adultificaiton of children and a childification of adults - children and adults do th esame things
• a Blur between adulthood and childhood

Question 5

evaluating postman

Answer 5

some argue that childhood is expanding, extension of compulsory education, increase in boomerang families

• mens that adults don’t do not stat having the adult experiences of independent lift well into their twenties

– others, including Lee and Opie point out that childhood is still distinct form adult hood both financially and culturally

Question 6

experience of childhood by class and ethnicity

Answer 6

the experience of childhood differs by social class
- children who live in poverty are likely to have poor diet and therefore poor health
- abuse and neglect more likely in low income families

Sarah Womack suggest that childhood is only toxic for poor children as they grow up in poverty and have depressed lives

• ethnicity
• black and mixed race children are more likely to be in car Ethan white and asian children
  some ethnic groups more likely to be in low income brackets
  Asian parents often stricter with girls than boys

Question 7

experiences of childhood by gender

Answer 7

• parents often stricter with daughters than sons
• HILLMAN ET AL FOUND THAT BOYS WERE ALLOWED TO STAY OUT AGTER DARK UNACOMPANIED AT YOUNGER AGES THAN GIRLS
• THSI CONTRIBUTES TO WHAT MCROBBIE AND GARBER DESCRIBE AS A BEDROOM CULTURE, BOYS AND GIRLS DEVELOP SEPERATE YOUTH SUBCULTURES

MORE EXPECTATIONS ON GIRLS TO PERFORM HUSEWORK AND DOMESTIC CHORES