Children and Childhood - 2.4 Flashcards
How is Childhood socially constructed?
defined and created by society, what constitutes as childhood varies historically and across diff societies.
What is the Modern Western notion of childhood?
> Seen as golden age of innocence or happiness.
> Children are fundamentally different from adults
> Vulnerable and psychologically immature
> Lengthy protected period of nurturing and socialisation
Childhood as a Social Construct Key Sociologists
Childhood as a Social Construct Key Sociologists
> Pilcher (Separateness)
> Cunningham (View of Kids)
> Wagg (Separate Age Status)
Cross Cultural Differences in Childhood Key Sociologists
> Punch (Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood) - Bolivia
> Firth (Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood) - Tikopia
> Malinowski (Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood) - Trobriand
Historical Differences in Childhood Key Sociologists
> Aries (Historical Differences in Childhood)
> Shorter (Parental Attitudes 2 Kids in Middle Ages)
Childhood in Modernity Key Sociologists
> Aries (Modern Notion of Childhood)
> Postman (Disappearance of Childhood)
> Jenks (Childhood in Postmodernity)
What is Pilcher outlook on Childhood?
> Distinct life stage & key feature of childhood is separateness.
What is Cunnnigham’s outlook on Childhood?
Kids seen as opposite of adults, with right to happiness.
How is the separateness between child and adult emphasised?
> Laws regulating what children are allowed, required or forbidden to do.
> Differences of dress
> Products & services specially for kids, e.g. toys, food, books, entertainments, play areas etc.
What does this childhood vulnerability mean for the children?
Vulnerability means kids are in need of protection from dangers of adult world - must be ‘quarantined’ and separated from it.
Where are kids lives lived?
In sphere of family & education - adults provide for them & protect them from outside world
What is the difference between the life a child leads and the life an adult leads?
> Kids lead lives of leisure and play and excluded from paid work.
> Kids defined as vulnerable and unable to fend for themselves, but other cultures don’t see a big difference between children and adults.
What is Wagg’s view on the Modern Western outlook on Childhood?
> Seperate age status not found in all societies - not universal.
> Childhood isn’t ‘natural’ & should be distinguished from biological immaturity.’
Briefly outline 3 Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood
- They take responsibility earlier - (Punch)
- Less value is placed on obedience to adult authority. - (Firth)
- Children’s sexual behaviours viewed differently - (Malinowski)
Punch’s findings on Children in Bolivia in relation to how they take responsibility at an early age?
In Bolivia once children are 5 they’re expected to take work responsibilities in home & community - without question/hesitation.
Firth’s findings on how Less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority - In Tikopia
In Tikopia listening to a grown-up, seen as concession to be granted by child, not to be expected by adult.
Malinowski’s findings on how kids sexual behaviour is viewed differently - Troiband
In Trobriand - adults had a ‘tolerance and amused interest’ to children’s sexual explorations and activities.
What do sociologists argue about the Globalisation of Western Childhood?
> Sociologists argue we’re trying to impose western notions of childhood incl. separateness, vulnerability, protection, no economic role on the world.
> e.g. Campaigns stopping child labour, hold little impact on position of children in developing countries
> Some cultures may be ‘preparing’ kids for adult life.
What were Aries findings on the historical differences in Childhood?
> During middle ages childhood didn’t exist, children weren’t seen as diff from adults, it’s a recent invention
> Through Aries study of artwork, kids were depicted as ‘mini-adults’ w/ same rights, duties and skills as adults and work began from early age.
> Law made no distinction vs kids & adults, kids faced same punishments as adults.
How does Shorter outline Parental Attitudes towards kids in Middle Ages different from those today?
- High DR encouraged neglect specially towards infants
- e.g. common for parents to give newborns name of recently dead sibling + forget how many kids they had.
Explain Aries idea on how Childhood emerged from 13th Century in 3 ways?
> Schools: Before they were only for adults but then tailored to children.
> Church: Saw kids as fragile ‘creatures of God’ in need of protection from worldly evils.
> Clothing: By 17th century, there was a growing distinction vs children’s & adults clothing, setting kids apart from adults.
What is Aries view on Childhood today?
> Argues we’ve become obsessed w/ childhood
> Describes 20th century as ‘’century of child’’
A03 Childhood as a Social Construct
> Pollock (Aries)
> Opie (Postman)
How does Pollock criticise Aries view?
Society simply had a different notion of childhood rather than not existing.
Briefly Outline 3 Reasons for Changes in the Position of Children
> Laws banning Child Labour
> Compulsory Schooling
> Child Protection and Welfare Laws
Explain Laws Banning Child Labour in relation to the reasons changes in the position of children
Kids no longer economic assets, but economic liabilities, dependent on parents.
Explain Child Protection and Welfare Laws and agencies in relation to the reasons changes in the position of children
Emphasised kids vulnerability, making their welfare a central concern.
What is the underlying cause for the reasons for changes in the position of Children?
- Industrialisation was underlying cause
- e.g. modern industry needs educated workforce, so compulsory educations needed, higher standards of living, due to industrialisation lead to low IMR.
Explain Postman’s View on the Impact of TV Culture and Print Culture in relation to the Disappearance of Childhood
> Childhood’s disappearing, due to collapse of info hierarchy.
> Due to TV culture adult info is easilly accessible to kids.
> In age of print culture kids lacked literacy skills to access adult info; sex money, violence, kept secret from them, due to TV culture they’re exposed to it
> Thus they’re able to participate in adults world, due to blurring of adult culture
> Conveyed through crime e.g. kids committing adult crimes e.g murder or rape.
How does Opie criticise Postman’s Study
- Childhood’s not disappearing but changing, still evidence of separate children’s culture of games, rhymes & songs.
What are the General Criticisms of Postman’s Study?
Overemphasised TV as cause, over laws or higher living standards.
What does Jenks believe about Childhood in Modern Society, how does he disagree with Postman?
> Childhood’s changing not disappearing,
> Modern societies child-centered, creating childhood to prepare individuals to be productive future adults.
> To achieve this vulnerable kid needs to be nurtured and protected.
What does Jenks state about Childhood in Postmodernity?
> In Post-Modernity, Adults’ relationships become more unstable e.g. more divorce
> Relationships with kids become adults’ last refuge from insecurity,
> Becoming more fearful for child’s safety, leading to greater regulation of children’s lives.
Criticisms of Jenks
- Overgeneralises assuming all kids are in same position, despite greater diversity of family and childhood patterns.
What is the March of Progress view (MOPV) on Childhood
> Position of kids has been steadily improving & today is better than it has ever been.
> Family and societies more children centred.
Has the Positions of Children Improved Sociologists
> Aries & Shorter (MOPV)
> Palmer (Toxic Childhood)
> Hillman (Inequalities Among Children in Gender)
> Brannen (Inequalities Among Children in Ethnicity)
> Woodroffe (Inequalities Among Children in Class)
> Firestone and Holt (Adult and Child Conflict & Inequality)
> Gittins (Age Patriachy)
> James & Hockey (Affects of Age Patriarchy on Kids)
> Myall (New Sociology of Childhood)
> Smart (Kids in Divorce)
How do Aries and Shorter support the MOPV on childhood?
- Kids more valued, better cared for, protected & educated, better health & more rights.
- e.g. due to laws against child abuse/labour, and lower IFM.
How has the Family become more child-centred?
> Higher standards of living and smaller families mean parents can afford to provide 4 kids properly.
> Kids now focal point of family, parents invest in them emotionally and financially, have aspirations for them.
How does Palmer argue there’s a Toxic Childhood?
> Tech & cultural changes have damaged kids development
> e.g junk food, video games, long hours worked by parents, and emphasis on testing in education.
> Thus kids are deprived of genuine childhood
> Concern over kids health, UK have above-average rates for obesity, teen pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse
Criticisms of Palmer
> Kids not equally affected by these trends, those in WC are more affected.
> Nothing new, but due to better understanding of mental health and wellbeing it seems more toxic.
How are there Inequalities between Children in relation to Gender according to Hillman (Freedom)
- B&G’s will have diff experiences of childhood, due to gender role socialisation.
- Boys given more freedom at earlier age e.g. going out after dark unaccompanied.
- Girls socialised into bedroom culture, restricted to activities e.g. reading and talking with mates.
How are there Inequalities between Children in relation to Ethnicity according to Brannen (Asian Parents)
Found Asian Parents were strict and restrictive on daughters
How does Woodroffe outline there Inequalities between Children in relation to Class
- WC mums likely to have low birth-weight babies, linked to delayed physical & mental development.
- Kids from WC more likely to die in infancy, be shorter in height and suffer hyperactivity, fall behind in skl
How do Child-Liberationists and Firestone and Holt criticise the MOPV (1)?
> MOPV’s overgeneralised and idealised image.
Ignores inequalities vs kids & kids and adults.
Many kids are unprotected & badly cared for.
How do Child-Liberationists and Firestone and Holt criticise the MOPV (2)?
> Childhood’s become oppressive w/ adults using excuse of protection, to limit kids activities
> e.g. exclusion from paid work, creates culture of dependency, making them powerless to adult control.
Criticisms of Firestone and Holt
> Adult Control is rational as children are unable to safeguard their interests themselves.
Define Age Patriarchy in relation to Gittins study, what is the evidence for this?
> Age patriarchy of adult domination, keeps children subordinate
> e.g. Adult exercise control over children time, space.
> Also economically dependent on them, preventing them from working
> Adult control can lead to sexual or emotional abuse e.g. 40K kids are on protection register.
What are Hockey’s and James findings on how Children resist Age Patriarchy
> Kids resist this by acting older
> e.g. engaging in adult activities e.g sex, smoking, alcohol etc, shows they want to escape childhood.
Explain the idea of Control and Space being an inequality between Children and Adults
> Children’s movements are highly regulated
> e.g, they have specific areas they’re allowed to play, shops may restrict NO of skl kids, and high CCTV coverage in kids areas.
> Contrasts to freedom of children in developing countries.
Explain the idea of Control over Children’s Time being inequality between Children and Adults
> Kids have strict routines during term time.
> Even in holidays parents control when kids eat, sleep, watch tv etc.
> And control whether a child is too young or old for certain things.
Explain the idea of Control over Kids bodies being inequality between Children and Adults
> Parents exercise control over how kids sit, walk, dress & are touched.
> Also control how kids touch own bodies e.g. not picking noses or playing with genitals.
Explain the idea of Children’s access to resources being inequality between Children and Adults
> Kids have limited chances to earn money so dependent on adults
> Pocket money given may depend on ‘good behaviour’ and restrictions on what it can be spent on.
Explain Myall’s view on the New Sociology of Childhood (NSOC)?
> We risk seeing kids as passive objects & mere “socialisation projects” for adults to shape and develop.
> Instead NSOC see kids as playing major role, creating their own childhood.
> Approach aims to taking into account childhood viewpoints, exploring range of diverse childhoods.
What are Smart et al’s findings on Children in Divorce in relation to the NSOC?
Found kids were far from passive victims & were actively involved in trying to make situation better for everyone.
Explain Compulsory Schooling in relation to the reasons changes in the position of children
Created period of dependency on family, separating kids from adult world of work.
