Childhood Case Studies

Question 1

Pilcher

Answer 1

1995

Childhood is marked by separatedness - children and adults are different

Innocent, need protection, special treatment

Question 2

Benedict

Answer 2

1934

Other countries do not separate adults and children

Sexual behaviour between children seen as harmless

Children have responsibilities like work

Question 3

Aries

Answer 3

1960

Looked at paintings from C10-13th

Spread of education from C13th separates children and adults with knowledge

Question 4

De Mause

Answer 4

1974

Children were neglected and abused in past, now protected by laws

Have specialist products and developmental toys

Question 5

Firestone and Holt

Answer 5

1979

Child liberationists

Adults control children’s time, space, bodies, access to resources

Question 6

Gittens

Answer 6

1998

Age patriarchy

Oppression of children prepares them for hierarchal future

Adults make up rules just to show power

Question 7

Postman

Answer 7

1994

Childhood is disappearing - media and internet gives children access to adult domain of information

TV takes away innocence

Question 8

Opie

Answer 8

1993

Child subcultures still exist

Songs, pretend games, playing out

Question 9

Palmer

Answer 9

2006

Contemporary childhood is toxic - marked with junk food, computer games, TV ads, sexualisation

Question 10

Hockney and James

Answer 10

2003

Children act up to resist oppression

Exaggerate their age

Question 11

Katz

Answer 11

Sudanese children roam more freely

Question 12

Woodroffe

Answer 12

1993

Kids of unskilled manual workers 4x more likely to have hyperactivity disorders

Question 13

Howard

Answer 13

2001

Poor family = more long term illness, lower attainment, shorter in height, higher IMR, more likely to be on CPR

Question 14

Brannen

Answer 14

1994

Asian parents stricter with daughters

Question 15

Mayer Hillman

Answer 15

1993

Boys more likely to be allowed out in dark

Allowed to cross roads

Girls usually in domestic labour roles, especially in lone parent households

Question 16

Johnson

Answer 16

Fulani of West Africa

4 year old girls look after younger siblings

By 6 girls are fetching water and helping to sell and produce milk/butter

Question 17

Shorter

Answer 17

1975

March of progress

Society has a functional need for better educated citizens and a lower IMR

Question 18

Donzelot

Answer 18

1977

C19th - growth in medical interest in childhood development led to idea of children needing supervision and protection

Question 19

Cawson et al (NSPCC)

Answer 19

2000

16% of children have been sexually abused

25% have experienced physical violence