F&H Book 2 Childhood

Question 1

How is childhood defined in today’s western society?

Answer 1

PILCHER
Separate, special time of life, children are fundamentally different from adults; they’re physically and psychologically immature.
Golden age.
Children occupy separate status to adults.

Question 2

How is childhood socially constructed?

Answer 2

Traditions within a society determine what childhood is, not every experience of childhood is universal.

Question 3

What is culture?

Answer 3

Language, culture and shared history of a particular place/group.

Question 4

How does childhood differ within cultures?

Answer 4

Levels of responsibility e.g cooking
Rules e.g listening to those of higher authority/older age
Play/leisure e.g the ways free time is spent

Question 5

How has childhood changed?

Answer 5

ARIES
In the past, children were not seen as having different needs compared to adults.
Children were seen as mini adults; same rights, duties and skills as adults.

Question 6

When did childhood changed?

Answer 6

ARIES
Introduction of schooling
Reading- books on child rearing

Question 7

What is meant by the cult of childhood?

Answer 7

ARIES
Obsession with childhood in the western world, moving away from the idea that children aren’t different, to the socially constructed idea of childhood.

Question 8

Why has childhood changed?

Answer 8

Laws restricted child labour
Compulsory schooling
Child protection/welfare legislation
Children’s rights
Decline in family size/infant mortality rates
Child development=focus of medical knowledge
Laws that apply specifically to children

Question 9

What is industrialisation?

Answer 9

Shift from agriculture to factory as the basis of the economy undermines changes to childhood.

Question 10

Is childhood disappearing?

Answer 10

POSTMAN
^^^ Yes
Giving children the same rights as adults
Unsupervised games
Growing similarity of adults and children’s clothing

Question 11

How has TV made childhood disappear?

Answer 11

POSTMAN
Children are now exposed to violence, sex, money, illness and death; issues that were one printed- now in pictures/videos=doesn’t require skills to understand.

Question 12

How has postmodernity affected childhood?

Answer 12

JENKS
Relationships are more unstable=divorce is more likely
Parent/child relationships have become a source of adult identity and stability= safety from uncertainty of life.