Topic 6 - Childhood Flashcards
How does the dominant framework describe childhood and its characteristics?
See’s children as incomplete humans being close to nature who lack rationality and other capacities of adults
Evaluation of the dominant framework
Many sociologists argue that childhood does not follow a series of fixed, predictable stages in all places at all times
What is Jane Pilcher’s argument about the most important feature of modern childhood?
Separateness - childhood is seen as a clear and distinct life stage
What does Wagg argue about childhood?
It is socially constructed for 2 reasons:
Cross-cultural differences
Historical differences
Examples of cross cultural differences of childhood:
Responsibilities at an earlier age
Roles
Child soldiers
What did Aries argue about childhood in the middle ages?
It did not exist due to working from a young age and having little to no education
Evaluation of Aries?
Linda Pollock argue that instead of childhood not existing in the past, as a notion and stage it has changed
March of Progress view on the position of children
It had improved dramatically:
Children don’t have to work from young ages
Allow education
Treated equally
Conflict view of the position of children
Still too much diversity between class and ethnicity and gender to say all has improved
Sue Palmers idea of toxic childhood
Disagrees with the March of Progress view - rapid technological and cultural changes have damages children’s physical and emotional development
What do Firestone and Holt ague about the March of Progress view?
The view that there is a protection and care of children, is just another form of oppressions and control
What did Bhatti find about Pakistani and White British households?
Family honour and responsibilities had more emphasis in Pakistani households than White British
What did Postman argue about childhood?
Childhood is disappearing at ‘dazzling speed’:
Same rights as adults
Children committing crimes
- Blamed on the fall of print culture and rise of mass media
Postman’s idea of information hierarchy:
In previous era’s only some adults could access information as they were literate - children couldn’t
Meaning aspect of the adult world were kept secret but now TV has taken that away
Criticisms of Postman
Assumes children are passive recipients of media and that they have little agency
