2⃣ Childhood 2) Historical Differences In Childhood Flashcards
(13 cards)
Why sociologist believed that in medieval Europe, the idea of childhood did not exist
Aries
What does historical differences in childhood mean
⚫️the position of children
➡️changes over time
⚫️the modern western idea of childhood
➡️is a relatively recent intervention
What are the three main reason why aries believed that in the medieval europe the idea of childhood did not exists
⚫️children were not seen as having
➡️different nature from adults
⚫️work began at an early age
⚫️children were mini adults
➡️with same rights, duties, and skills as adults
Describe another sociologists view, apart from aries of the historical differences in childhood
⚫️shorter
➡️parental attitudes towards children were very different
➡️high child death rates
➡️encouraged indifference and neglects
➡️especially towards infants
Describe the modern notion of childhood
⚫️began to emerge from 13th century:
⚫️school began to specialise
➡️only in education of the young
⚫️church increasingly saw children as
➡️fragile creatures of God
➡️need discipline and protection
➡️from worldly evil
⚫️growing differences between
➡children’s and adults clothing
➡️setting children apart from adults
Describe aries view of the modern notion of childhood
⚫️resulted in the emergence of
➡️modern cult of childhood
⚫️the 20th century
➡️was century of the child
How did aries show that childhood is socially constructed
⚫️by showing ideas about children
➡️status
➡️treatment
➡️varied over time
Name Why has the position of children changed
⚫️social changes during the 19th and 20th century:
➡️lower infant mortality rates and smaller families
➡️laws banning child labour
➡️the idea of children rights
➡️laws about social behaviour
How did lowering infant mortality rates and smaller families changed the position of children?
⚫️more infant surviving
➡️mean parents had fewer children
➡️and made greater financial and emotional investment in them
How did law banning child labour changed the position of children?
⚫️from 1840s onwards ➡️changed children ➡️from economic assets ➡️to economic liabilities ➡financially dependant on their parents
How did the idea of children’s right changed the position of children?
⚫️children act 1989
➡️sees parents as having responsibilities
➡️towards their children
➡️rather than rights
How did the law about social behaviour changed the position of children?
⚫️minimum ages for a wide range if activities
➡️from sex to smoking
➡reinforce the attitude
➡️that children are different from adults
Explain the underlying cause of the position of children changing
⚫industrialisation ➡️modern society needs an educated workforce ➡️compulsory education is needed ➡️higher standards of living ➡️resulting from industrialisation ➡️lead to lower infant mortality rates
