Childhood Flashcards
What is the modern western notion of childhood?
- Pilcher, separateness
- childhood is a clear and distinct life stage, separate status from adults
e.g laws, products (toys) services (play areas) - childhood, ‘golden age’ happiness and innocence. protected from adult world, adults provide & protect
- Wagg, childhood is socially constructed, defined differently by cultures
Cross cultural differences in childhood
- Punch, Bolivia, age 5 take on work respobsibilities
- Firth, Tikopia tribe, less value placed on obedience, not a right
- Malinowski, Trobriand islanders children free to explore sexual behaviour
Globalisation of Western childhood
- Welfare agencies imposed Western notions of childhood onto rest of world
- campaigns against child labour reflect western views of how it ‘should’ be
- in other cultures prepare them for adult life
Historical differences in childhood
- Aries argues in the middle ages childhood didn’t exist
- after weaned, entered society on same terms as adults.
- work at early age, same punishments as adults
- uses art from the period as evidence
Modern notion of childhood
- emerged from 13th century
- schools specialised in education of the young
- 17th, distinction between children’s & adults clothing
- 18th, handbooks on child rearing available
20th century, the century of the child. Pollock argues childhood existed in the past but was just different
Reasons for changes in the position of children
- laws restricting child labour and paid work for children, dependent on parents
- compulsory schooling (1880) and raising of school leaving age
- declined family size, lower infant mortality
- laws and policies minimum ages (sex, smoking)
- child protection and welfare legislation (social services)
What does postman say on the disappearance of childhood
- Childhood is disappearing at a dazzling speed due to the rise of television culture
- printed words create information hierarchy’s as children can’t read. adults can access knowledge on sex, money, violence and illness, secret from children
- television blurs the distinction, doesn’t require special skills
What does Jenks say about childhood changing?
- childhood is changing as society moves from modernity to postmodernity
- relationships less stable, divorce, causing insecurities
- relationships with children become priority, want to protect them from dangers (child abuse)
What is the march of progress view, childhood
- child’s position has been improving and is the best its ever been
- De Mause, ‘the history of childhood is a nightmare from which we have only recently begun to awaken’
- children are now better cared for, protected, educated & healthcare
- 1900 infant mortality rate, 154 per 1000, today is 4
Support and argument for march of progress view
child centred family:
- focal point of the family, consulted on decisions and invested in. 1860’s 5.7 births per women, 2014 1.8.
by 21 years, cost parents over £227,000
toxic childhood:
in the past 25 years
Palmer, technological/ cultural changes damaged children’s physical, emotional & intellectual development. junk food, computer games, parents working long hours.
What is the conflict view?
- inequalities amongst children, how many risks they face/opportunities
- inequalities between children and adults children experience control oppression and dependency
What are some inequalities among children?
gender: Hillman, boys more likely to be allowed to go out after dark, use buses/ cycle than girls
- Bonke, girls in lone parent families do 5x housework than boys
ethnic: Asian parents strict towards daughters
class: poor mothers low birth weight babies, linked to delayed physical development.
children in poorer familieis more likely to die in infancy/ childhood, suffer illness, fall behind at school
Inequalities between children and adults?
- adults control over children, neglect and abuse, childline 20,000 calls yearly
- control over space, shops ‘no schoolchildren’, only play in certain areas. fears of stranger danger, 1971 86% travelled home alone, 2010 dropped to 25%
- control over time, routines, bedtime, dinner, watch tv, whether they are too old or too young for something
- control over bodies, hair styles, clothes, ear pierced, how they sit/walk/run
- resources, state benefit goes to parents, excluded from employment, compulsory schooling
What does Gittens say on age patriarchy?
- adult domination and child dependency.
- Hockey & James, children act up to resist child status by smoking or drinking
- acting down, being younger, baby talk
What is the new sociology of childhood?
- sees children as active agents in creating their own childhoods
- children define who’s family, who they regard as close
- smart et al, during divorce children actively involve to make the situation better
- express their POVS
