the future of childhood: Flashcards
Neil Postman 1994
“Childhood is disappearing at a dazzling speed.”
why is childhood disappearing?
Increased rights for children – same rights as adults.
Children committing adult crimes
Blurring lines between adult and child cultures i.e. similar clothing.
Declining parental authority.
Postman: Information hierarchy
Postman argued that childhood emerged as separate in the 19th century when literacy become available to the masses i.e. printed newspapers.
The printed word creates an information hierarchy: adults who can read and children who cannot read.
This gave adults the power to keep knowledge about sex, money, violence and death away from children.
These things became secret from children, and childhood become associated with innocence.
Television blurs the distinction between childhood and adulthood by destroying the information hierarchy as TV does not require special skills to access it. Television culture is leading the disappearance of childhood.
Children are exposed to the same information as adults and can access it.
This causes adult authority to diminish, and children’s innocence is replaced by knowledge and cynicism.
Opie (1993)
argues childhood is not disappearing!
Separate TV channels and programmes.
Separate children’s games and songs.
how can Postman be evaluated?
Whist Postman’s study is useful in showing how different types of communication influence the way childhood is constructed, he over emphasises the influence of TV.
He ignores how other factors have influenced the development of childhood.
Jenks (2005)
Unlike Postman, Jenks (2005) does not believe childhood is disappearing, but he does believe it is changing.
how is childhood in a Postmodern society?
Postmodern society– late 20th century/21st century
Family life is unstable i.e. divorce
Parent’s ‘need’ their children more due to the insecurity they feel in the family.
Parents are over-protective of their children as it is the only relationship which is stable and certain.
This reinforces the idea of children being vulnerable and needing protection, resulting in greater surveillance and regulation of children i.e. helicopter parenting.
how was childhood in modern society?
Modern society – early 20th century
Concerned with the future of children.
Childhood seen as preparation for the individual to become a productive adult in the future.
Children are nurtured, protected, and controlled by the ‘child-centred’ family and education system which imposed discipline and conformity.
Family relationships were stable
evaluation of the Postern perspective on childhood:
There is evidence to support that…
Parents see their relationships with their children as more important than that with their partners.
Parents are very concerned about the risks they believe their children face.
BUT… this evidence is from small, unrepresentative studies.
Jenks over generalises – he makes sweeping statements that children are all in the same position.
Palmer
“Every year children become more distractible, impulsive and self-obsessed. They are less able to learn, to enjoy life and to thrive socially.” - Toxic childhood
evidence to support Palmer
evaluation of Palmer
Palmers study is Ethnocentric
Suggests that toxic childhood is a new phenomena when it isn’t.
More information availability has led to more paranoid parenting.
is childhood becoming universal? support
Western notion is spreading around the world:
Campaigns for universal education
United Nations Universal Rights of the child.
Charities focused on helping street children and preventing child labour.
Globalised TV and media
new sociology of childhood for child liberationists
The New Sociology of childhood is the preferred approach of the child liberationists:
Acknowledges the need to include the children in the study of childhood - Smart
Focuses on the present tense of childhood from a child’s perspective - Mayall
Smart (2011)
Smart (2011) – This approach seeks to include the views and experiences of the child. They use qualitative research methods such as informal unstructured interviews in order to empower the child to express their thoughts. They do this as they believe children often lack power in relation to adults. This approach is favoured by child liberationists.
