Childhood Flashcards
Benedict’s 3 cross-cultural differences in childhood
Take responsibility at an early age (in Bolivia, from 5 years old expected to take on work without question)
Less value placed on child obedience to adult authority
Children’s sexual behaviour often viewed differently (amused interest)
Globalisation of western childhood
International humanitarian and welfare agencies have exported and imposed on the rest of the world, western norms of what childhood should be. (Nuclear family, seperate life stage)
Eg campaigns against child labour but this may be the norm for the culture
Ariés
Miniature adults, law made no distinction, used paintings where children were simply depicted on a smaller scale. Showed children and adults dressed in the same clothing working and playing together. Don’t know their age
Shorter
High death rates encouraged neglect and indifference.
Not uncommon to give newborn baby same name as recently dead sibling
Modern cult of childhood (Aries)
Schools specialised for the young
Growing distinction between clothing
Handbooks on child rearing widely available
Ariés AO3
Pollock- childhood did exist. Had a different notion of childhood from todays
6 reasons for changes in position of children
Laws restricting child labour and excluding children from paid work (economic liability now)
Compulsory schooling
Growth of idea of child’s rights
Declining family size and lower infant mortality (encouraged parents to make greater financial and emotional investment)
Children’s development became subject of medical knowledge
Laws and policies apply specifically to children (minimum ages for smoking)
How has industrialisation changed the position of children
Modern industry needs an educated workforce and this requires compulsory schooling
Disappearance of childhood (Postman)
Disappearing at a dazzling speed
Giving children same rights, disappearance of traditional unsupervised games, similarity of clothing, commiting adult crimes like murder
Due to rise and fall of print culture and its replacement by televsion culture
Middle Ages- most illiterate and speech only skill needed in adult word
Postman information hierarchy
Printed word creates it. Adults can read, children cannot
Adults have power to keep info about money, violence, death a secret
Childhood associated with innocence and ignorance
Televsion blurs distinction and destroys info hierarchy. Adult authority diminishes and child replaced by knowledge and cynicism
Postman ao3
Opie- lifetime of research into children unsupervised games, strong evidence of existence of seperate child culture
Overemphasises televsion at the expense of other factors have influenced development of childhood
Jenks (children in postmodernity)
Unlike postman, childhood not disappearing but is changing
In postmodern society relationships more unstable so children become important part of adults identity and stability. Become their last refuge. So more fearful for child’s security so more surveillance over their lives
Jenks ao3
Overgeneralising- not all children in same position
March of progress view on childhood
Child centeredness- no longer seen and not heard. Focal point of family consulted on many decisions. Parents invest financially and emotionally and have high aspirations. Society also child centered
March of progress on childhood AO3
Toxic childhood - sue palmer. Rapid technological and cultural changes in the past 25 years have damaged children’s physical emotional and intellectual development.
Eg junk food, computer games, intensive marketing to children
Obesity, teenage pregnancy
How do the conflict view criticise the march of progress view ?
-inequalities among children in terms of opportunities and risks they face
Inequalities between children and adults greater than ever (greater control and dependency not greater care and protection)
Inequalities among children
Hillman- boys more likely to be allowed to cross or cycle on roads, go out after dark.
Girls do more domestic labour
Class inequalities:
- poor mothers more likely to have low birth weight babies
- children of unskilled Manual workers over 3x more likely to suffer from hyperactivity
Inequalities between children and adults
Firestone- “protection” from paid work is not a benefit but a form of inequality. Makes them more dependant, powerless and subject to adult control
5 types of adult control
Neglect and abuse
Control over children’s space (shops may display no children allowed, stranger danger so less primary school children allowed to travel home alone
Control over children’s time- when they get up, sleep , eat. They define if child is too young or old.
Control over children’s bodies- what they wear, how they sit, hands held
Control over access to resources- labour laws and compulsory schooling, child benefit goes to parent not child, pocket money may depend on behaviour
Age patriarchy and ao3
Inequalities between adult and children, may resist status of child and restrictions that go with it. By acting up, swearing
AO3- some control is justified as children cannot make rational decisions to safeguard themselves.
The new sociology of childhood view
Do not see children as mere socialisation projects for adults to mould and develop. But as adults in the making and active agents who play major role in creating their own childhood.
