Childhood

Question 1

Childhood as a social construction
Western notation of childhood
Jane pilcher 1995 seperateness

Answer 1

Notes at the most important feature of the modern idea of childhood is separateness. Childhood is seen as clear and a distinct life stage and children in society occupy separate status from adults.

Question 2

The modern western notation of childhood
The general expectation of childhood in modern society

Answer 2

Childhood is seen as a special time of life, and their lives are different from adults. They are physically and psychologically immature and their lack of skills, knowledge and experiences mean, they need of a protecting period of nurturing and socialisation before adults society

Question 3

The modern western notation of childhood
Jane Pilcher ways that children are different to adults

Answer 3

It’s emphasised through laws, regulating more children are allowed and not allowed to do, and the differences in how they dress from adults. This is also through products and services, such as toys, food books and play areas.

Question 4

The modern western notation of childhood
Childhood as a “golden age”

Answer 4

The children’s status is the idea of happiness and innocence, but this innocence means that children are seen as vulnerable and in need of protection from the dangers of adult world.

Question 5

The modern western notation of childhood
Child separateness in other societies

Answer 5

The view of childhood as a separate age status from adults is not found in all societies and it is not universal

Question 6

The western modern notation of childhood
Stephen wagg 1992

Answer 6

Stephen argues that there is no single universal childhood experienced by all, and childhood isn’t natural and should be distinguished from biological maturity. He argues a different cultures construct, physical development differently.

Question 7

The modern western notation of childhood
How other cultures define childhood?

Answer 7

Are the cultures do not necessarily see a great difference between children and adults and don’t see them as vulnerable or unable to fend for themselves.

Question 8

Cross cultural differences in childhood
Ruth, Benedict, 1934

Answer 8

Ruth argues that children in simpler non-industrial society generally are treated differently from modern western counterparts.

Question 9

Cross cultural differences in childhood
How children are treated differently from modern western counterparts
1st way

Answer 9

They take responsibility at a young age. Bolivia found that once kids are five years old, they are expected to take work responsibilities in the home.

Question 10

Cross cultural differences in childhood
The ways that children are treated differently from modern western counterparts
2nd way

Answer 10

Less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority. Raymond Firth found in Topia doing as you’re told by grown-up was a concession to be granted by the child not right to be expected by the adult.

Question 11

Cross cultural differences in childhood
The ways that children are treated differently from modern western counterparts
3rd way

Answer 11

Childrens sexual behaviour was treated differently. Bronislaw Malinowaski found that adults had an attitude of tolerance and entertain interest towards children’s sexual explorations and activities.

Question 12

Cross cultural differences in childhood
Ruth Benedict
Division line between adults and children

Answer 12

In many non-industrial cultures, there is a less dividing line between behaviour expected of adults and children which illustrates that childhood isn’t fixed but socially constructed and differs by culture.

Question 13

Globalisation of western childhood
Modern western notations being globalised

Answer 13

Some argue that modern western notations are being globalised/influenced to other parts of the world. International humanitarian and welfare agencies have imposed these norms on the rest of the world.

Question 14

Globalisation of western childhood
campaigning in developing countries for western imposed norms

Answer 14

There have been campaigns against child labour and stray kids developing in countries which reflects western ideas. However, these campaigns have little impacts on the position of children in these countries.

Question 15

Historical differences in childhood
Childhood as a recent invention

Answer 15

Many historians argue that charted as we understand, its state is relatively recent and a new invention

Question 16

Historical differences in childhood
Philippe Aries

Answer 16

Aries argues that childhood didn’t exist in the middle ages, and the separate age stage was short as children entered wider society on the same terms as adults. They were seen as many adults with the same duties and rights.

Question 17

Historical differences in childhood
Philippe aries
Research

Answer 17

Aries used works of art from the period which they had depict on a smaller scale. The painting showed how children adults dressed the same and how they worked and played together

Question 18

Historical differences in childhood
Edward shorter

Answer 18

Shorter argues that high, death rates, encouraged indifference and neglect towards infants. Parental attitudes were very different as it was common for parents to give a newborn baby, the name of a recent dead sibling order to refer to the baby as “it”

Question 19

Childhood as a social construct
Modern cult of childhood
Philippe Aries on the emergence of childhood

Answer 19

The elements of modern notion of childhood began to emerge from the 13th century.

Question 20

Childhood as a social construct
Modern cult of childhood
How childhood emerged?
1st process

Answer 20

Schooling, provided education for the young, which reflected the influence of the church which saw children as creatures of God, who needed to be disciplined.

Question 21

Childhood as a social construct
Modern cult of childhood
How childhood emerged?
2nd process

Answer 21

The growing distinction between child and adult clothing. By the 17th century and upper-class boy would be dressed in an outfit, reserved his own age group, which set him apart from adults.

Question 22

Childhood as a social construct
Modern cult of childhood
How childhood emerged?
3rd process

Answer 22

By the 18th century, there were books on the process of bringing up children child rearing, which meant children were centred in the family, especially among middle-class families.

Question 23

Childhood as a social construct
Modern cult of childhood
Aries and the developments of the world

Answer 23

these develops accumulate in the modern cult of childhood and argues that we have moved from a world that didn’t see childhood as special to a world that is obsessed with it. He argues that the 20th century as the century of the child.

Question 24

Modern cult of childhood
Criticism to Aries
Linda Pollock

Answer 24

Linda criticises Aries as she claims that childhood did exist in the middle ages, except there were different notions of it.

Question 25

Modern cult of childhood
Evaluation of Aries

Answer 25

Aries identifies how childhood is socially constructed and shows how ideas about children, and they’re social status have varied overtime

Question 26

Reasons for changes in position of children
Reasons for the changes

Answer 26

Many believe that industrialisation is the underlying cause of these changes as modern industry needs an educated workforce, which requires compulsory schooling of the young. Another reason for these changes can be the highest standards of living.

Question 27

Reasons for changes in position of children
Growth of the idea of children rights

Answer 27

The children’s act of a 1989, defines parents as having responsibilities rather than rights in relation to the child. Of a child, 1989, lays down the basic rights of a child, which includes healthcare and education.

Question 28

Reasons for changes in the position of children
Laws restricting child labour and restricting children from paid work

Answer 28

Children now financially depend on parents, when before they were able to earn a wage of their own and be economic assets.

Question 29

Reasons for changes in the position of children.
Laws and policies that only apply to children

Answer 29

The minimum ages of activities, such as sex and smoking.

Question 30

Reasons for changes in position of children
Children’s development became the subject of medical knowledge
Jacques Donzelot

Answer 30

Jacques observes how theories of child development that appeared from 19 century, stressed that children needed supervision and protection.

Question 31

Reasons for changes in the position of children
Declining family sizes and lower infant mortality rate

Answer 31

These rates have encouraged parents to make a greater financial and emotional investment in the fewer children that they now have.

Question 32

Reasons for changes in position of children
Child, protection and welfare legislation

Answer 32

The 1889 prevention of cruelty to children act and the 1989, children act made the welfare of the child, the fundamental principle which depended on the work of agencies such as social services.

Question 33

Reasons for changes in position of children
Introduction to compulsory school

Answer 33

This was introduced in 1880, which mainly affected the poor as middle-class were already receiving education. The raising of the school leaving age had extended.

Question 34

Future of childhood
The disappearance of childhood
Neil Postman

Answer 34

Postman argues that childhood is disappearing at dazzling speed. He points at the trends towards giving children, the same rights as adults, which includes clothing and a disappearance of unsupervised childhood games.

Question 35

Future of the child
Disappearance of childhood
Fall of print culture postman

Answer 35

The disappearance has emerged from the rise of television culture, and the thought of print culture in the middle ages. Most were illiterate and speech was the only skill needed to be a part of the adult world.

Question 36

Future of childhood
Information hierarchy
Postman

Answer 36

Postman argues that child emerged as a separate status along with mass literacy.

Question 37

Future of childhood
Information hierarchy
Postman and the printed word

Answer 37

Printed word created information hierarchy, which divided adults from children this gave adults the ability to keep knowledge about sex, money, violence and death a secret and these were mysteries to the children

Question 38

Future of childhood
Information hierarchy
Postman and TV culture

Answer 38

TV plus distinction as it destroys the hierarchy and doesn’t require skills and information, it’s available to adults and children. The boundary is broken and adult authority diminishes an innocence of childhood is replaced by knowledge.

Question 39

Future of childhood
Evaluation of postman
Iona Opie 1993

Answer 39

Unlike postman Opie argues that childhood isn’t disappearing. She researches into children games, rhymes and songs and found strong evidence to the continuation of separate children culture over many years to come.

Question 40

Future of childhood
A evaluation of postman

Answer 40

Postman study is valuable in showing the types of technological communications and its influence on childhood. However, it over, emphasises a single cause at the expensive other factors.

Question 41

Future of childhood
Childhood in post-modernity
Christopher Jenks

Answer 41

Jenks believes that childhood is changing and agrees that childhood was an invention of modern society. He argues that chart is changing as society moves from Modernity to postmodernity.

Question 42

Future of childhood
Childhood, and to modernity
Jenks and modern society

Answer 42

Drinks believes that modern society was concerned with the futurity and childhood was seen as preparation for the individual to have a productive adult future.

Question 43

Future of childhood
Childhood in post-modernity
Postmodern society

Answer 43

Jenks believes in postmodern society, relationships are less stable. This can be due to divorce rates which generates the feeling of insecurity. Your relationship with your child becomes more important than with your partner.

Question 44

Future of childhood
Childhood in post modernity
Relationships with children

Answer 44

adults become more fearful for the security of their children and are occupied by protecting them from dangers like child abuse, strengthens the view of children has vulnerable and in need of protection, resulting in greater surveillance and regulation of children’s lives.

Question 45

Future of childhood
Evaluation of Christopher Jenks

Answer 45

There was evidence that currency relationships with a child, more important and further risks their child may face however, Jenks is guilty of over generalising, and implying all children experience the same things.

Question 46

Has the position of children improved?
March progress view
Lloyd De Mause

Answer 46

Dispute argues that the position of children in western societies have improved. Lloyd puts at the past was a nightmare for chartered, as there were far less childcare and more killings and abandonment.

Question 47

Has the position of children improved?
March progress view
Aries and shorter

Answer 47

They argue that today’s children are more valued and better cared for. Children are protected from harm of exploitation by laws against child labour and abuse. better healthcare and higher standards of living, babies have a higher chance of survival.

Question 48

Has the position of children improved?
Child centred families
Highest standards of living and smaller family sizes

Answer 48

High standards of living a small family sizes mean that parents can properly provide for their children’s needs is estimated that by the time the child reaches their 21st birthday they would’ve cost their parents £227,000.

Question 49

Has the position of children improved?
Increase of Child centred families

Answer 49

The march of progress sociologists argued that the family has become more child-centred, and now the vocal point of the family parents can now emotionally invest in them, and have higher aspirations for them. Even leisure activities designed for children.

Question 50

Has the position of children improved?
Toxic childhood
Sue Palmer

Answer 50

children today are experiencing toxic childhood and rapid technological and cultural changes in the past 25 years have damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development. Includes junk food and video games.

Question 51

Has the position of children improved?
Toxic childhood
health and behaviour of youths

Answer 51

Concerns have been expressed about peoples health and behaviour. The UK use has above average rates in international league tables for obesity, Self harm, drug and alcohol abuse.

Question 52

Has the position of children improved?
The conflict of view
Marxist and feminists

Answer 52

They dispute the march of progress as they argue that society is based on conflict between social classes and genders, and they see the relationships between these groups as one of domination and other of subordination.

Question 53

Has the position of children improved?
Conflict view
The false and idealised images that the major progress view has on childhood

Answer 53

Inequalities among children in terms of opportunities and risks they may face
inequalities between children and adults, children, experience, greater control, oppression, and dependency, rather than protection.

Question 54

Has the position of children improved?
Inequalities among children

Answer 54

Not all children experience, the same things, children of different nationalities are likely to experience different childhood

Question 55

Inequalities among children
Mayor Hillman and jen bonke
gender differences

Answer 55

Hillman found that boys are more likely to be allowed to cross or cycle on roads and walk the streets at night and accompanied. Jen bonke found the girls do more domestic work, especially within known parent families

Question 56

Inequalities among children
Julia Brannen and Ghazala Bhatti
Ethnic differences

Answer 56

In Julia study of 16-year-olds, she found the Asian parents were more likely to be strict to their daughters. Ghazala found that the idea of family honouring could be a restriction on the behaviour of girls.

Question 57

Inequalities amongst children
Class inequalities

Answer 57

Poor mothers, were more likely to have an underweight baby which linked to the delay in physical development. Children of unskilled workers were 3x likely to suffer from hyperactivity and children born into poor families are more likely to die in infancy and their childhood.

Question 58

Inequalities between adults and children
Shulamith fire stone and John Holt

Answer 58

They argue that the things that the much progresses as care and protection is actually oppression and control, it seen as wave of segregating children and making the more dependent on their parent. They call for child liberationism.

Question 59

Inequalities between adults and children
Neglect and abuse

Answer 59

control can take an extreme form of abuse and neglect in 2013 45000 children were subject to child protection plans due to risk of harm. child-line receives 20,000 calls a year. These figures indicates the dark side to family life.

Question 60

Inequalities between adults and children
Control over children’s time

Answer 60

Adults controlled children’s daily routines, including the time they get up and go to bed, and it’s also control how fast their children grow up by defining whether their child is too old or too young for something.

Question 61

Inequalities between adults and children
Controls over children’s time
Homes and definition of being “too young”

Answer 61

The idea of a child being too young for something contrast homes, findings that among Samoans, being too young, is never given as a reason for not letting your child do something.

Question 62

Inequalities between adults and children
Control over children’s space
Children movement in industries

Answer 62

Children’s movement in industries are highly regulated like a shop, There are no school children signs. Children are forbade from playing in certain areas and there is close surveillance over children in public spaces Like shopping centres.

Question 63

Inequalities between adults and children
Controls over children’s space
Road safety and stranger danger

Answer 63

Fears of road safety and stranger danger, led to more children being driven to school. From 1971,86% were allowed to travel alone from School, This dropped to 25% by 2010.

Question 64

Inequalities between adults and children
Controls over children’s space in developing countries
Cindi Katz

Answer 64

In developing countries, Cindy Katz shows how children could roam freely in the village and for several kilometres outside of it.

Question 65

Inequalities between adults and children
Control over children’s bodies

Answer 65

Adults have enormous control over children’s bodies, including how they walk and what they wear as well as dressing them. Parents restrict the child from touching their own body which contrast with the sexual freedoms and non-industrial cultures.

Question 66

Inequalities between adults and children
Control over children’s access to resources

Answer 66

Children have limited opportunities and dependent on their parents. Compulsory schooling excludes them from work. child benefits goes to the parent and pocket money is restricted This contrast catz who found that children in Sudanese engaged in work from age three.

Question 67

Has the position of children improved?
Age patriarchy
Diana Gintis

Answer 67

Diana Gintis uses age patriarchy to describe the inequalities between adults and children. She argues that there is an age patriarchy of adult domination and child dependency.

Question 68

Has the position of children improved?
Age patriarchy
Diana Gintis and concept of “family”

Answer 68

Diana found the family refused to the power of mail over any other member. This power still starts itself in form of violence against women and children.

Question 69

Has the position of children improved?
Age patriarchy
Cathy Humphreys and Ravi thiara

Answer 69

They found that a quarter of the women in their study, left their abusing partner as they feared for their child’s life.

Question 70

It has the position of children improved
Age patriarchy
Evidence of childhood, becoming oppressive

Answer 70

Evidence that children may experience childhood as oppressive comes from the strategies that they used to resist the status of the child and the restrictions that go with it.

Question 71

Has the position of children improved?
Age patriarchy
Jennifer hockey and Alison and James

Answer 71

They describe acting up as a strategy used. Acting up was acting like their parents by swearing drinking and underage activities. Acting down was another strategy and resists adult control through baby talk.

Question 72

Has the position of children improved?
Age patriarchy
Conclusion of Jennifer, hockey and Alison James

Answer 72

They conclude that modern childhood is a status that children want to escape from as the strategies resist their status and leaves them restricted

Question 73

Has the position of children improved?
Age patriarchy
Criticism of child, liberationists

Answer 73

Critics argue that some adult control is justified on the fact that children can’t make rational decisions. They also argue that children aren’t as powerful less as child liberation claim when under parental supervision. The rights of the child act establishes legal rights of a child.

Question 74

Has the position of children improved?
The new sociology of childhood
Berry mayall and Dangers of seeing childhood as socially constructed

Answer 74

There’s a danger of seeing children as passive objects who have no part of making their own childhood, it risks children from what Berry Mayall calls an adults viewpoint and sees children as socialisation products for adults to shape

Question 75

Has The position of children improved
The new sociology of childhood

Answer 75

The new sociology of childhood approach doesn’t see children as adults in the making, but active agents who play a part in creating their own childhood

Question 76

Has the position of children improved
The child’s point of view
Carol Smart

Answer 76

Carroll, Smart claims that the new approach aims to include the views and experiences of children who currently live through childhood.

Question 77

Has the position of children improved?
A child’s point of view
Jennifer, Mason and Becky Tipper

Answer 77

Jennifer and Becky show how children create their own definition on who is family, even those who aren’t “proper” aunties.

Question 78

Has the position of children improved?
A child’s point of view
Smarts study of divorce rates

Answer 78

Smarts study found that children were far from being passive victim, but tried to make the situation better for everyone. These studies use informal unstructured interviews, which empower children to express their own views.