Childhood. (family)

Question 1

What did James Pilcher (1995) notice ?

Answer 1

That childhood today is distinctly separated from adulthood, being specially protected and regulated and having a separate set of rights and responsibilities.

Question 2

What are some rules that separate childhood from adulthood in the UK ?

Answer 2

Remain in education until 18, marriage and sex / children are allowed at 16, driving a car is allowed at 17, criminal responsibility must be accepted at 10.

Question 3

What does Stephen Wagg (1992) argue ?

Answer 3

That childhood must be understood separately from biological maturity, and that childhood is different depending on your social group / society.

Question 4

What did Philippe Aries (1962) study / argue ?

Answer 4

Examined historical artwork to try and understand what the role of children was in medieval Europe. He found that the concept of childhood is around 300 years old, prior children took on adult roles as soon as they were able to. He believed that the “cult of the child” (started as a middle class phenomenon, spreading to other social classes) emerged with industrialisation and the emerging housewife role led to an important childcare role.

Question 5

What evidence backed up Philippe Aries theory ?

Answer 5

Medieval portraits show children dressed up in the same clothing as adults, working in fields alongside adult workers.

Question 6

What sociological group did Philippe Aries “the cult of the child” link to ?

Answer 6

The Functionalists and their idea of stratified diffusion.

Question 7

What did Linda Pollock (1983) argue about Aries beliefs / study ?

Answer 7

That despite children appearing to take on adult roles in portraits, doesn’t mean that they had no concept of childhood or that parents didn’t care for their children. Medieval portraits only represented a tiny minority of the population.

Question 8

Who’s research could counter Linda Pollock’s belief / criticism ?

Answer 8

Samantha Punch (2002) who found that in rural Bolivia children were expected to take on adult responsibilities from the age of 5.

Question 9

What was life like for many children in 19th century Britain ?

Answer 9

Worked and lived in terrible conditions, prone to disease and death at younger ages.

Question 10

How do Functionalists present the child in the experience of childhood since the 19 century ?

Answer 10

A march of progress.

Question 11

What did Edward Shorter (1975) argue / believe ?

Answer 11

That contemporary (modern day) childhood has a functional fit with a modern industrial economy.

Question 12

What is the modern day industrial economy like ?

Answer 12

People need to be more educated as more jobs require good results, need to have a lower rate of infant mortality, clear progression to meet the needs of social change.

Question 13

What are families increasingly being ?

Answer 13

Child - focused.

Question 14

Why have family sizes shrunk and what are the results ?

Answer 14

Due to a reduction in infant mortality and as a result parents are giving more attention to each individual child as there are fewer / smaller family.

Question 15

Why is there a reduction in infant mortality ?

Answer 15

Children are no longer ‘insurance children’, and as child labour was abolished children were seen as being a financial burden and so smaller families became normal as well as the belief in nurturing and protecting their children.

Question 16

What did the postmodernist Chris Jenks (2005) argue / believe ?

Answer 16

That adults are focused on their children and their relationships with them as they are seen as being more dependable alongside a focus on children’s potential / importance to the future to prepare the children for a productive adulthood and allows for a connection to nostalgia.

Question 17

What is an example of a change in the law to match changing attitudes ?

Answer 17

1989 Children Act. Ensures that all children are safe, protected and are looked after.

Question 18

What do child liberationists argue / believe ?

Answer 18

Argue that many new laws put in place actually oppress children.

Question 19

What does Diana Gittins (1985) argue / believe ?

Answer 19

That there is an age patriarchy where adults force children to be dependant on them to maintain authority over them. e.g. what time they go to bed, what they eat, wear etc. Child labour laws prevent children from working and earning income.

Question 20

What does Hockey and James (1993) argue / believe ?

Answer 20

That children themselves often see their childhood as being an oppressive phase of life and wish to escape it.

Question 21

What does Sue Palmer (2007) argue / believe ?

Answer 21

Childhood has caused contemporary society to become toxic, such as obesity, exploitation by advertisers, early years are becoming more school like and less play like and that this continues through education leading to high levels of anxiety, too long looking at screens and less interacting with other humans (therefore impacting their attention span, concentration and communication skills)

Question 22

What would those who argue against Sue Palmer (2007) argue / believe ?

Answer 22

That a real toxic childhood is having to work in dangerous conditions, be subject to abuse at school / home.

Question 23

What does Frank Furedi (2001) argue / believe ?

Answer 23

That childhood is obscured by paranoid parenting and that the media put the blame of social problems on parents, resulting in parents feeling like they are constantly doing things wrong, alarming media reports / political discourse, and as a result they shield their children from experiences diminishing their childhood.

Question 24

Who’s ideas relate to Frank Furedi (2001) and what do they argue / believe ?

Answer 24

Jacques Donzelot, who believes that the state uses social policy built on changes in ideas about child health and development to control families.

Question 25

What does New Right Melanie Phillips argue / believe ?

Answer 25

That children are too privileged and protected and are not controlled enough by their parents, and that children lack discipline which can be deeply embedded in youth and gang culture.

Question 26

What is the "cult of the child" ?

Answer 26

Highlights a radical social change, that children are now respected and valued after having been rejected and disrespected.

Question 27

What does Neil Postman (1994) say is happening to childhood and why ?

Answer 27

That it is disappearing and that children are growing up very quickly due to television / exposure to the media from a young age. Children used to have to be literate to be able to understand adult topics and problems in the world, now it is easily seen on television.

Question 28

What does Neil Postman (1994) say about the media ?

Answer 28

That it sexualises children and presents children as having the same interests, concerns and problems as adults.

Question 29

What were two key words that Neil Postman (1994) said to help to describe the disappearing of childhood ?

Answer 29

"childfication" of adults and the "adultification" of children with the lines becoming blurred, such as children wearing the same clothes, listening to the same music, watching the same television programmes.

Question 30

What is a criticism / counter argument to Neil Postman's belief ?

Answer 30

That childhood is actually expanding, with the extension of compulsory education and the difficulty for young adults to buy / rent property and therefore returning to their parents homes expanding their childhood.

Question 31

What do others further point out to counter / argue against Neil Postman's beliefs / ideas ?

Answer 31

That childhood is still distinct from adulthood both financially (because of dependence) and culturally.

Question 32

What does Opie (1993) point out about childhood ?

Answer 32

That the Western concept of childhood as a privileged and protected phase of life is being seen globally, and is expanding instead of disappearing.

Question 33

How does social class affect childhood ?

Answer 33

Children who live in poverty are more likely to suffer from a poor diet, poor housing leading to various health conditions alongside possible abuse / neglect as shown from a study done by Marilyn Howard (2001). However those that are rich can afford boarding schools and so their children might also suffer neglect as they are sent away and have different childhood experiences.

Question 34

How does ethnicity affect childhood ?

Question 35

What does Sarah Womack (2007) suggest about childhood ? (social class)

Answer 35

That childhood is only really "toxic" and "disappearing" for poor children, and that those living in poverty have miserable and desperate lives.

Question 36

What is Intersectionality ? (ethnicity)

Answer 36

Where some minority - ethnic groups are more likely to be in low income families and so both social class and ethnicity impact their experiences of childhood.

Question 37

What does Julia Brannen (1994) believe about childhood ? (ethnicity)

Answer 37

That Asian parents are often stricter with girls than boys.

Question 38

How does gender affect childhood ?

Answer 38

Parents are often stricter with daughters than they are with sons.

Question 39

What did Hillman et al (1990) find ? (gender)

Answer 39

That boys were much more likely / allowed to stay out when it got dark, travel alone, cross roads.

Question 40

What ideas does gender relate to ?

Answer 40

McRobbie and Garber who described the "bedroom culture".

Question 41

How did the "bedroom culture" impact childhood ? (gender)

Answer 41

Boys and girls developed separate youth subcultures because their experience of childhood and adolescence were very different.

Question 42

What did Bonke (1999) believe / argue ? (gender)

Answer 42

That there were more expectations on girls to perform household / domestic chores than there were for boys.