Childhood Flashcards
Childhood as a Social Construct
not bio state of development - ideas on how children = dif in values & behav varies by cul & time X uni eg edu leaving age moved from 12-18 in last century
funcs see child position as show if progress - Shorter (1975) soc has func needed for better edu cits & lower infant mortality rates, school leaving age inc - means = MofP
Modern Western Idea of Childhood
Pilcher (1995) mod childhood = defi thro seperateness
Wagg (1992) childhood = soc construc - what mems of soc at partic time & place say it is - no single uni childhood experience by all
viewed as golden age of innocence - requires protection
Cross Cultural Differences in Childhood
Benedict (1934) childhood used to be treated dif in pre-industrial soc =m respon younger, less value on obedience, sexual behav viewed dif
childhood X fixed / uni - dif cul to cul
Studies on Cross Cultural Differences
Punch (2001) rural Bolivia 5yros expec to take work respons in home
Firth (1970) Tikopia believe children = w/in rights to dismiss p’s orders - must earn children’s respect
Malinowski (1957) Trobriand Islanders = tol of children’s sexual explors
Globalisation of Western Childhood
some socios argue internat humanitarian & welfare agens have exported & imposed western norms of childhood onto rest of world - campaigns against child labour - concerns about street children
these types of childhood may = prep for adulthood in that soc - western is spreading
Historical Differences in Childhood
Aries (1962)
concept of childhood X exist in medieval Eur - based on contemp letters, diaries & paintings
once weaned = mini adults - worked w/ adults behav like adults in many ways
Shorter (1975)
MA attitudes = dif - high death rates encour indif/neglect - name after dead siblings - called it - forgot how many children have
Modern Cult of Childhood
emerged from C13 - schools specialised in edu the young under influ of ch - children need protect
C17 clothing difs, C18 handbooks for childrearing
now obssesed w/ cult of childhood - C20 = c of child
Aries Evaluation
Pollock (1983) = X to say didn’t exist = dif notion
work = valuable demos how attits of children & soc status have changed overtime
Reasons for Change
industrial = underlying reason
laws restricting child labour
compul school
child protection & welfare legis - children’s rights
dec fam size & infant mortality - healthcare
Disappearance of Childhood
Postman (1994) = disappearing - sim in clothing & rights - rise & fall of print culture & TV culture- info hierarchy
Postman Evaluation
overstates case - childhood long way from disappearing - children = major econ force - taste in consumer goods have major influ on what is prod & purchased - Buckingham (2000)
Opie (1993) childhood = X disappearing - argues = strong evidence of contin existence of sep children’s cul
Childhood in Postmodernity
Jenks (2005) = changing X disappearing
= creating of mod soc - concerned w/ futurity & prep to become prod adult - need to nur by child-cen fam
PM fam = m unstable & insecure rela w/ child becomes m stabke part of iden & leads to overprotection - even m sept from adults than b4
Evaluation of Post Modern View
some evi parents see relas w/ children as m NB than w/ partners - p’s m worried about risks children face - only small unrep studies
Jenks overgens & ignores rich diveristy of fam life X all children in same pos
March of Progress in the Position of Children
socios believe = steadily getting better
childcare, protection, rights, edu
smaller m child cen fams
better living stan, healthcare & lower IMR
Society is more Child Focused
Donzelot (1977)
theories of child develop changed C19 - need protection
linked to growing med interest in ch’s develop
IMR dec early c20 - 1901 = 150 ch under 1 died per 1000 - 2012 = 3.9 - fams = smaller = m atten & £ on each ch by fam & soc
linked to MoP arguement - fams = inc ch focused - want better life for ch than they had
Child Centred Family
parents able to provide needs of smaller fam better - cost of child until 21 = £277k
fam = ch cen - ch = focal point = high fin & emo invest
soc = ch cen - media, leisure activities
Toxic Childhood
Palmer (2006) - not better than ever - rapid tech & cul changes in past 25 yrs - damaged ch’s emo, phys & intellectual develop
Margo & Dixon (2006) Uk youth are at top of internat leagues for obesity, self harm, drug abuse, violence, sex expers, & teen pregs
UNICEF (2007) UK 21st of 25 for ch’s well being
Conflict View
soc based on conflict between dif soc groups, comes from power inequals MoP based on false idealistic image of chhood = ineuqals among ch & adults
Inequalities among Children
not all have same status / exper eg gender / ethnicity - cannot speak of as if equal
Ch in poverty- suffer poor health, lack basic necs, lower ach, poor life chances & higher incidence of neglect & abuse - WC m likely in pov
Statham & Owens (2007) Black & dual heritage ch m likely to end up in care than white/asian ch
Inequalities among children
continued
eth may influ where child lives - 2011 22% white brit in rural comp 1% B&P fams
Brennan (1994) asian fams = stricter w/ daughters than sons
Hilman (1990) p’s give m freedom to boys to travel around local areas unaccomp after dark
girls perform m HH tasks esp in LP fams
Inequalities between Adults & Children
Firestone (1979) & Holt (1974)
child libs argue many things seen as protection of ch by MoP but = opres - neglect & abuse, control over space, time, bodies & access to resources
Age Patriarchy
Gittins (1998)
descrip of inequals between ch & adults
adult dom/ch depen
soc opres ch as well as women
ch use strats to resist subord status - acting up/down
Evaluation of Conflict View
some adult control = justi ch can’t make rational decisions for selves/safeguard own interests
ch X as powerful as ch libs claim eh 1989 Ch Act on Rights of the Ch estab prin that ch have rights to protection & consultation
