Childhood Flashcards
What is a social construct
Created by society rather than simply bring a biological stage in a person’s life
Why do some argue that childhood is a social construct
because different societies and historical eras have different ideas about what it means to be a child, how children should be treated and what is expected of a child
What is the evidence against childhood being a social construct
Biology - childhood is made up of several stages of a person’s life through which the body goes through many physical changes each which bring the individual closer to adulthood
What is the evidence supporting childhood as a social construct
Cross cultural evidences - experience of childhood in different cultures around the world Historical changes Aries 'centuries of childhood' Century of the child Changes to the position of children
Cross cultural evidences - experience of childhood in different cultures around the world
Childhood is different in different societies therefore it is not a natural biological stage In life.
If it was natural all children of all cultures would have the same experiences of childhood, but they don’t.
- Childhood is shaped by the culture of a particular society
Historical changes
Experience of childhood in the UK has changed over the last 500 years
Childhood is a social construct because throughout history, children in the uK have experienced different treatments
Aries ‘centuries of childhood’
There was no concept of childhood in medieval Europe
- children were seen and treated as ‘little adults’ who took part in the same work and leisure activities as adults.
- Due to a high child mortality rate, children were seen as an economic asset (their wages where an important financial benefit to the family).
During the industrial revolution w/c children worked in factories, mines and mills.
Century of the child
Growing awareness of children rights. Children seen as an active family member and make more of a democratic contribution to the family
- young people form an iconic force in society through ‘pester power’
The ideas of childhood started to emerge at the end of the 19th century and it:
- was seen to oppose adulthood - laws introduced banning children from working. this gave them a separate legal status
- childhood became associated with happiness - since 1900 children became economically worthless but emotionally priceless (in need of love and attention)
Adult world and world of children are to be separate - children sent to school.
Changes to the position of children
Compulsory schooling & raising school leaving age
Child protection and welfare legislations e.g children act, 1989
US define children rights - education, healthcare, protection from abuse, right to make decisions in custody cases.
Positivist theory of childhood - Aries & shorter
March of progress view - over the last few centuries, children lives have been improving and are now better than ever
Today’s children are:
- more valued
- better cared for
- educated
- enjoy better health
- have rights
The family and society have become child-centred. Parents invest emotional work, time and money into their children.
Positivist theory of childhood - Butler et al
Children now have more rights - important change
Ian Butler - research
[group discussion + in-depth interviews]
children aged 8-11 years
Asked them about their role in family decisions.
Liberationalist view - Hillmann, Brannen, Woodroof & Howard
improved for some depending on gender, ethnicity and class
HILLMANN - boys have more freedom
(gender)
BRANNEN - asian parents tend to be particularly strict
(ethnicity)
WOODROOF (class) - w/c children are more likely to suffer from behavioural disorders
Therefore whether the position of children in society has improved or not depends on their class, gender + ethnicity
Liberationalist view - Gittens
Adults dominate children and children are forced to be dependent on adult.
Liberationalist view - child trafficking & child protection
Children in the UK today are at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse so their lives have not improved.
Liberationalist view - Firestone + holt
Children are unequal in relation to adults
- ‘protection’ from paid work makes children dependent on their parents so its not protection, it’s inequality
Children are controlled in a number of ways:
- Neglect and abuse - indicates to ‘dark side’ of family life in which children are victims
- Space - driven to school, not allowed in pubs or shops.
- Time - Bed time, TV time
- Bodies - adults control how children sit, walk, what they wear.
- Access to recourses - labour laws/ compulsory
Liberationalist view - Hockney and James
Children want to escape from childhood because it is oppressive
Liberationalist view - Feurdi
Paranoid parenthood - parents so worried about their children safety that they prevent them from playing outside. going on school trips etc.
As a result, children spend their time indoors, playing console games, eating junk food and not developing their imagination or social skills. (damaging to children development and experience of childhood)
What is a toxic childhood
Where rapid technological and cultural changes cause physical and psychological damage to children.
Toxic childhood - Sue Palmer
children are experiencing a ‘toxic childhood’ which has a -ve impact on the development of a growing number of children
She outline six ways in which childhood is toxic:
- decline of outdoor play (linked to increase in child obesity)
- the commercialisation of childhood (linked to children being exploited by advertisers)
- the ‘schoolification’ of early childhood (reduces independence)
- Shortened attention span - decline of listening, language & communication skills
- screen saturation (reduces face to face interactions)
- tests, targets & education (increases anxiety amongst children)
CRITICISMS - Children are still very protected today
Children are better of as consumers rather than producers (labour workers)
Is childhood disappearing? Postman
views:
- childhood is disappearing at a dazzling speed
points to the trend towards giving children the same rights as adults
- children committing adult crimes
- the growing similarities between adult and children clothing
Mass media has brought the adult world into the lives to children. (As a result the boundary between the lives of children + adults is breaking down)
Becoming more like adults in terms of their dress, criminal + sexual behaviour = DEATH OF CHILDHOOD
evidence = underage sex, drinking & smoking. teenage pregnancies. clothing, violent game consoles.
JENKS - argues that childhood is not disappearing, it is changing.
Is childhood disappearing? Child liberationists
NO
Western ideas on childhood are spreading to other cultures through globalisation.
Humanitarian agencies impose on the rest of the world what childhood should be:
- time of innocence, vulnerability & dependence
- based on schooling and not economic provision
Is childhood disappearing? Quortrup
YES
Childhood is disappearing because of the falling birth rate
[as fewer children are being born, there is a lesser need to investment into children resources e.g schools]
Also childhood will become an isolated experience as there will be fewer children in the neighbourhood
