childhood

Question 1

Aries

1) Historical differences
2) The Modern Cult of Childhood

Answer 1

1) childhood didn’t exist during the middle ages. Children seen as mini adults, given same rights and duties and similar punishments
Aries and Shorter= today children are better cared for, values and educated

2) modern childhood emerged from 13th century (schools educating young), 17th century (separate clothing), 18th century (books on childrearing). this creates a child centred society
20th century= century of the child

Evaluation:
Pollock= the middle ages had a different notion of childhood than today rather than saying it didn’t exist at all

Question 2

Cross Cultural Differences

Answer 2

Benedict= children in non-industrial areas are treated differently, less dividing line between children and adults
1) take responsibility at an early age
2) less value on obedience (Firth: Tipoka= obedience is a compromise granted by the child, not to be expected by the adult)
3) sexual behaviour is viewed differently (Malinowski= Trobriland: adults showed tolerance and amused towards children’s sexual interests)

Question 3

Childhood as a Social Construct

1) Modern Western idea
2) Globalisation of Western Childhood

Answer 3

Childhood = socially constructed, created and defined by society. It differs between time, place and culture.

1) West view childhood as special and separate from adults
Pitcher= separateness is important, Childhood = ‘golden age’, a distinct life stage which is shown throw laws, clothes, services, provided for and cared for by adults etc

2) Western images are being globalised.
Charities impose norms of what childhood should be (eg: child labour campaigns) which have little impact

Question 4

Postman

Answer 4

Childhood is disappearing at a ‘dazzling speed’

Children are becoming similar to adults (rights, clothes, crimes etc)

This is caused by television culture (19th century = printed words created information hierarchy, as adults can read and children can’t so things were hidden away.) TV blurs lines between this as no specialist skills required, so information is accessible

Evaluation:
Opie= researched children’s games and songs, evidence that separate cultures still exist

Question 5

Palmer

Answer 5

Childhood is becoming toxic. Due to rapid cultual changes which affect development (junk food, TV, computer games etc)

Creates concerns over health and behaviour (UK youth = above average rates of obesity, violence, drugs and self-harm)

Question 6

Has the Position of Children Improved?

Answer 6

March of Progress View:
west= steadily improving
family and society becoming more child centred due to higher standards of living and smaller families so spend more to afford needs (by 21st birthday parents will spend £227,000).
Society now has separate media and leisure activities

Conflict view:
MOP gives false images, ignores inequality (class and gender)
Hillman= boys more likely to be allowed out after dark alone
= poorer children are more likely to die in infancy
Adult control children = abuse (physical and verbal), space (eg: being driven to school), and resources (limited jobs so dependent)
Age Patriarchy:
Gittens= inequality due to age, so strategies to resist
Hockey and James= acting up (eg: swearing), acting down (eg: tantrums)