Childhood Flashcards
REQSONS FOR CHNAGES IN THE POSITION OF CHILDREN - Laws restricting child labour and excluding children from paid work
from being economic assets who could earn a wage, children become an economic liablity, financially dependant on their parents
REASONS FOR CHNAGES IN THE POSITION OF CHILDREN -The introduction of compulsory schooling in 1880
had a similar effect, especially for the children of the poor (middle- and upper-class children were already receiving education). The raising of the school-leaving age has extended this period of dependency.
REASONS FOR CHNAGES IN THE POSITION OF CHILDREN -Child protection and welfare legislation,
such as the 1889 Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act. Exactly a century later, the 1989 Children Act made the welfare
of the child the fundamental principle underpinning the work of agencies such as social services.
REASONS FOR CHNAGES IN THE POSITION OF CHILDREN - The growth of the idea of children’s rights
For example, the Children Act defines parents as having ‘responsibilities’ rather than ‘rights’ in relation to children, while the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) lays down basic rights such as entitlement to healthcare and education, protection from abuse and the right to participate in decisions that affect
ther, such as custody cases.
REASONS FOR CHNAGES IN THE POSITION OF CHILDREN - Declining family size and lower infant mortality
rates
have encouraged parents to make a greater financial and emotional investment in the fewer children
that they now have.
REASONS FOR CHNAGES IN THE POSITION OF CHILDREN - Children’s development became the subject of
medical knowledge.
Jacques Donzelot (1977) observes how theories of child development that began to appear from the 19th century stressed that children need supervision and protection.
REASONS FOR CHNAGES IN THE POSITION OF CHILDREN - Laws and policies that apply specifically to children,
such as minimum ages for a wide range of activities, from sex to smoking, have reinforced the idea that children are different from adults and so different rules must be applied to their behaviour.
REASONS FOR CHNAGES IN THE POSITION OF CHILDREN - Industrialisation
Most sociologists agree that the process of industrialisation - the shift from agriculture to factory production as the basis of the economy - underlies the above changes. For example, modern industry educated workforce and this requires compulsory schooling
of the young.
CROSS-CULTRAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDHOOD
Less value is placed on children showing obedience
to adult authority. For example, Raymond Firth (1970)
found that among the Tikopia of the western Pacific,
doing as you are told by a grown-up is regarded as a
concession to be granted by the child, not a right to be
expected by the adult.
CROSS-CULTRAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDHOOD - Children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed differently.
For example, among the Trobriand Islanders of the south-west Pacific, Bronislaw Malinowski (1957) found that adults took an attitude of ‘tolerance and amused interest’ towards children’s sexual explorations and activities.
CROSS-CULTRAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDHOOD - they take responsibiliry ag a young age
, Lowell Holmes’ (1974) study of a Samoanvillage found that ‘too young’ was never given as
a reason for not permitting a child to undertake a
particular task: Whether it be the handling of dangerous
tools or the carrying of extremely heavy loads, if a child
thinks he can handle the activity, parents do not object’.
CROSS-CULTRAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDHOOD - they take responsibiliry ag a young age - SAMANTHA PUNCH
Samantha Punch’s (2001) study of childhood in rural Bolivia found that, once children are about five years
old, they are expected to take work responsibilities in the home and in the community. Tasks are taken on without
question or hesitation.
The globalisation of western childhood
For example, campaigns against child labour, or concerns
about ‘street children’ in developing countries, reflect western
views about how childhood ‘ought’ to be - whereas in fact,
such activity by children may be the norm for the culture and
an important preparation for adult life. In this view, western-
style ‘childhood’ is spreading throughout the world.
HOWEVER ,arguably such campaigns have little
impact on the position of
children in developing countries.
Childhood is a social construct
Sociologists belive “childhood” only exists because of the way society has created it.
We can suggest that childhood is a social construct by looking at 3 categories:
- Differences in childhood between different societies (cultures)
- Differences in childhood in a society (places)
- Differnces in childhood over time
Modern Western View - PILCHER (1995)
Notes that the most important feauture of the modern idea of childhood is SEPERATENESS. It is a distinct life stage and a seperate status from adults. This is shown in laws, dress, products, food etc
Differences in childhood between cultures - BENEDICT (1943)
Found that children in non-western cultures have more responsibility at home and work
Behavoir from a child was also less clearly seperated from the expected behaviour of adults
AO3 - At the time of Benedict’s research, western societies had a VERY different opinion of non-western cultures. There was an idea that adults in these societies were child-like themselves.
Differences in childhood between societies - PUNCH (2001)
They take resposibility at an early age
Punch studied children in rural Bolivia and found that once children are 5 years old they are expected to take on work in the home and community with no hesitation.
