Childhood - The Future of Childhood Flashcards
Which sociologist believes childhood is disappearing?
Postman
Quote from Postman about the disappearance of childhood
Childhood is ‘disappearing at a dazzling speed’
Why is childhood disappearing according to Postman? (4 reasons)
Children are being given the same results as adults
Children’s traditional disappearing games are disappearing
Growing similarity between children’s and adults clothing
Rising cases of children committing adult crimes such as murder
What was the first emergence of childhood due to according to Postman?
The ride and fall of prompt culture
What replaced print culture which led to the disappearance of childhood according to Postman?
TV culture
Why was there no division between children and adults in the Middle Ages?
Because most people were illiterate and only had skill of speech so children were able to enter adult society from early age
What created the information hierarchy from the 19th century according to Postman?
Printed word as only those who could read (mainly adults) could understand it
Why does TV blur the distinction between childhood and adulthood?
Because specialist skills aren’t required to access it meaning any age group could view it
What is the ignorance and innocence of childhood now replaced by?
Knowledge and cynicism
Cynicism
Attitude constructed by distrust
What does Opie argue as a result of research conducted into children’s unsupervised games, rhymes and songs? (Evaluation of Postman)
Argues that there is strong evidence of continued existence of a separate childhood culture
What is a disadvantage of Postman saying TV is the single cause for the disappearance of childhood? (Evaluation of Postman)
Ignores other influential factors
Who talks about childhood in postmodern society?
Jenks
What does Jenks believe about childhood which is different to Postman’s view?
It is changing, not disappearing
What does Jenks agree with Ariès about?
The fact that childhood was a creation of modern society
What was childhood seen as in modern society?
A preparation stage for adulthood
What was preparation for childhood achieved by in modern society?
Nurturing, protection and control of children, especially by child-centred families and the education system
As society is going from modern to postmodern, what is happening to childhood according to Jenks?
It is undergoing change
Relationships in postmodern society according to Jenks
They are more unstable (E.g. higher divorce rates)
Result of increasingly unstable relationships in postmodern society
Generates feeling of insecurity and puts more pressure on adult/child relationship
Why are adults more fearful of their children’s security and more preoccupied with protecting their children in postmodern society according to Jenks?
Because adult relationships with their children become the adults last refuge from the constant uncertainty of life
How does some evidence support Jenks claims about childhood in postmodern society? (Evaluation of Jenks)
Some evidence shows that parents see their relationship with their children as more important than that with their partners
Adjectives to describe support evidence for Jenks’ claims (evaluation of Jenks)
Unrepresentative and small-scale
What is Jenks guilty of doing and why? (Evaluation of Jenks)
Guilty of over-generalising bedside he makes sweeping statements that imply all children are in the same position
