Topic 2, Childhood. Flashcards
Wagg
…childhood is what people in particular societies at particular times say it is. Therefore is isnt nature, but socially constructed.
Pitcher
…childhood is a distinct life stage with special laws, dress and services.
Benedict
…argues that children in simpler societies are seen differently from our western ideas.
Punch
…found that children in Bolivia start working at the age of 5.
Aries
…childhood relatively recent invention.
Aries argues that between…
…10th and 13th century the idea of childhood did not exist. Children were mini-adults with the same laws, clothing and work situation once old enough.
Shorter
…high death rate caused indifference from parents.
Pollock criticises Aries…
…saying that there was a different idea of childhood, not a non-existent one.
(Changes in the 19th and 20th century)
Laws restricting…
…children from paid work. Children are now an economic liability.
(Changes in 19th and 20th century)
Compulsory…
…schooling.
(Changes in the 19th and 20th century)
Smaller family sizes…
…mean that parents now spend greater emotional investment in their child/children.
(Changes in the 19th and and 20th century)
Specific laws for…
…children. E.g, minimum age for sex, smoking, drinking, driving).
(March of Progress view/MoP)
ARIES and SHORTER argue that…
…today’s children are better educated, cared for and healthier than any before them.
(MoP view)
The government…
…spends an estimated £64 billion per year on Education now.
(MoP view)
The infant mortality rate in 1900 was…
…154/1000, whereas today it is 5/1000.
(Conflict view)
Marxists and…
…Feminists disagree with the idea of progress. They say that it is an idealised view that ignores inequalities. E.g, many children remain unprotected.
(Conflict view) (inequalities amongst children)
Gender: HILLMAN found that…
…boys can cross roads and go out after dark whereas girls cannot.
(Conflict view) (inequalities amongst children)
Gender: BONKE found…
…girls do more domestic labour.
(Conflict view) (inequalities amongst children)
Ethnicity: BRANNEN found…
…Asian parents are much stricter with their daughters than with their sons.
(Conflict view) (inequalities amongst children)
Class: Poor mothers are…
…more likely to have lower weight birth children leading to slow physical/mental development.
(Conflict view) (inequalities amongst children)
Class: WOODROFFE found…
…that children of manual workers are more likely to have ADHD than Professionals.
(Conflict view) (inequalities amongst children)
Class: HOWARD found that…
…poor children are more likely to die in infancy, have illnesses and to be placed on the child protection register.
(Conflict view) (inequalities between children and adults)
FIRESTONE and HOLT would argue that…
…freedom from ‘paid work’ is in fact oppression and a means of controlling children.
(Conflict view) (inequalities between children and adults)
CUNNINGHAM argues that…
…children’s movement is highly regulated. Fears about road safety and stranger danger means that children experience less and less independence.