the future of childhood Flashcards
what does toxic childhood mean?
rapid technological growth is damaging children’s health and development.
What is child centeredness?
The idea that children are becoming the centre of decision making in the family. All decisions are made with children in mind.
What is the information hierarchy?
A division between those who can and cannot access information.
Who developed the disappearing childhood thesis?
Postman
What did Postman say?
childhood as we know it is disappearing due to the collapse in the information hierarchy. Growth of technology allows children to access information. Children are given the same rights as adults. There is no clear distinction between adulthood and childhood. Criminality of children- committing “adult” crimes such as murder and rape.
What are the evaluations of postman’s theory?
Opie- Childhood is not disappearing but changing, there is still evidence of separate children’s culture.
His theory is reductionist and places the disappearance of childhood on the rise of television.
Who formed the toxic childhood thesis?
Palmer
What did Palmer say?
Childhood has becoming more damaging, which is evidenced by the rise in ADHD, substance abuse, self harm and mental health problems. Palmer stated this was because of unhealthy food, lack of play in natural settings, poor sleep, little interaction with the family and a decline in emotional security.
What are the evaluations of the toxic childhood thesis?
It’s ethnocentric
It is not new, it is just more understood- mental health
Paranoid parenting as a result of increased information
Who theorised universal childhood?
West
What did West believe?
The western notion of childhood is spreading internationally. This can be seen through campaigns for universal education, charities focused on children’s rights and globalised tv and the media.
What is the new sociology of childhood?
Current studies rarely include children in their data, Mayall argues children are seen as socialisation projects.
Smart- children need to be included in the study of childhood.
Mayall- focus on the -resent tense of childhood from a child’s perspective
Unstructured interviews- favoured by child liberationists
