Families-Childhood Flashcards
Jane Pilcher (1995)
-The most important features of the modern idea seperateness.
-Childhood is seen as a clear and distinct lifestage.
-Children occupy a seperate status then adults.
Stephen Wagg (1992)
-The view of childhood as a seperate age status isn’t found in all societies.
-While we all develop physically, different cultures construct this process differently.
Ruth Benidict (1934)
Samantha Punch (2001)
Lowell Holmes (1974)
Malinowski (1957)
-Benidict argues that children in simpler, non-industrial societies are generally treated differently from their modern western counterparts.
-Punch says that the study of childhood in rural Bolivia found that once children are around 5 years old, they are expected to take work responsability in the home and community.
-Holmes says that a study of a samoan village found that ‘too young’ was never given as a reason for a child to not undertake paticular tasks.
-Malinowski found that adults took an attitude of tolerance and amused interest towards towards childrens sexual explorations.
The globalisation of western childhood
-Arguments: Western notions of childhood are being globalised, international and humanitarian welfare agencies have exported and imposed western norms of what childhood should be.
-Campaigns: Campaigns against child labour or concerns about ‘street children’ in dveloping countries reflect wester views on how childhood ought to be.
Philippe Aries (1960)
-Argues that in the middle ages, the idea of childhood didn’t exist and children were not seen as having different needs or natures from adults- this is based from arts.
-Elements of modern notion of childhood gradually begin to emerge eg, schools came to specialise in education of the young.
Linda Pollack (1983)
-Argues that it is more correct to day that in the middle ages , society simply had a different notion of childhood from today.
Reasons for changes in the position of children
-Laws restricting child labour are excluding children from paid work.
