Topic 2 - Childhood as a Social Construct Flashcards
wagg
childhood is socially constructed
outline the differences in childhood
they take responsibility at a younger age, less value is placed on children showing obedience to adulty authority,childrens sexual behaviour is usually viewed differently
differences in childhood- theorists
Punch - children in Bolivia are expected to work at home and in the community
Holmes- ( study of Samoans) too young is never an excuse for not letting a child do a job
historical differences in childhood
Aries -childhood did not exist in the middle ages (10th to 13th century)
Children entered society at a young age, children were mini adults
aries uses art to to show that children were dressed the same as adults
reasons as to why childrens position in society have changed
Laws restricting child labour and excluding children from paid work, introduction of compulsory schooling, child protection and legislation, inxustrialisation
what is industrialisation
the transition from agriculture into factory production
who argues that childhood is disappearing
postman
the information hierachy- postman
printed word creates a division between adults that can read and children that cannot.
this gave adults the knowledge about sex,money, violence and death a secret from kids
television makes all of this information accessible to all
ALSO ARGUES THAT CHILDHOOD IS DISAPPEARING AT A DAZZLING SPEED
who believes that childhood is changing?
Jenks
march of progress view
the position of children in society has improved
eg:aries holds a march of progress view
eg :children are protected from child abuse, child labour THEY ARGUE THAT THE FAMILY HAS BECOME CHILD CENTERED ,parents invest in their children emotionally and financially
they want a better life for them.
March of progress view - palmer toxic childhood
technological changes have damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development
examples of this can be shown through junk food, childhood obesity
what is the conflict view on childhood
conflict sociologists argue that the march of progress view of childhood idealises childhood, blurring the inequalities
inequalities among children- children of different nationalities are likely to experience different childhoods
hilman
boys are allowed to go out in the dark unaccompanied
Bonke
women are likely to do more domestic labour- esp in lone parent families
Outline the class inequalities in children
Poor mothers are likely to have low birth weight children
children of unskilled manual wokers are likely to suffer from hyperactivity
children born to poor families are likely to die in infancy or childhood
who argues that care and protection are forms of oppression and control
march of progress writers : firestone and holt
adults in society have control over children’s times : the times they go to school, sleep and bed
they also have control over childrens bodies
Katz argues about how rural Sudanese roam within the village and a few kilometres outside it
gittins - age patriarchy
there is an age patriarchy of adult domination and child dependency
hockey and james show us that children ‘ act up and act down’
act up - by doing things theyre npt supposed to do - swearing , smoking, drinking alcohol
acting down - acting like children- using baby talk
who argues that children act up - doing adult things and act down by doing childish things?
hockey and james
how do masey and tipper show the ways that children create familiys
by creating their own definitions of ‘family’ and who they regard as ‘close’
pilcher
childhood is a life stage , children occupy a different status from adults
eg: children and adults dress differently
cross cultural differences in childhood
children are treated differently from modern and western societies
1. they take responsibility from an early age Eg: children in Bolivia are expected to work at an early age
2.less value is places=d on children showing obedience to adult authority
3. children’s sexual behaviour is viewed differently - Malinowski-
adults showed an amused interest towards children’s sexual explorations
the modern cult of childhood
Aries: childhood began to emerge from the 13th century on wards
1. schools had been specialised to educate the young
2.there was a growing distinction between children and adults clothing
3. there was guidance on how to bring up a child
he argues that we have moved towards a world that was not child centred to a world that is obsessed with childhood
reasons for the changing position of children
laws restricting child labour
the introduction of compulsory schooling
declining family size and infant mortality rates
