Childhood Flashcards
Pilcher
Childhood is seen as a completely separate life stage: children are physically and psychologically immature, so in need of protection.
‘Golden Age’ = least responsibility and most leisure time.
Innocence = vulnerability, protect children from adult world.
Society is now child-centered, range of goods and services developed for children, as well as growing awareness for children’s rights. Also laws such as the age of consent, etc.
Evaluation = criticised for overemphasising the separateness of childhood. E.g: many adults enjoy superhero movies, video games, etc = products designed for children.
Also idealistic in saying children will be protected (Palmer).
Wagg
‘Childhood’ is defined by the society that you are in: it is not a universal or biological thing, instead it is a social construct.
Changes depending on society.
(Other societies). International Labour Organisation:
1 in 7 children now have to work. Some were active child soldiers in 21 different countries.
Punch
Studied children in Bolivia who were expected to work in the home and community from the age of 5.
Malinowski
When children started exploring sexual behaviour, they were treated with “tolerance and amused interest”, not protection.
Aries
Children became ‘mini adults’ in the middle ages as soon as they were no longer physically dependent on their parents. Looked at paintings from that time, saw that children were pictured in the exact same way as adults. Therefore, the idea of ‘childhood’ did not actually emerge until the 1800s: special treatment of children did not exist.
The legal and cultural changes led to the cult of childhood (see it as something special), 20th century = century of the child.
Evaluation = Criticised for using paintings in his research. 1) subjective interpretation of what the paintings show. 2) paintings would have only depicted the upper class, only ones who could afford pictures. Therefore, a biased sample as it only showed privilege children.
Industrialisation
Several legal changes protecting children from dangerous work in factories and mines.
Made education compulsory so that children developed the skills needed in an industrial society.
Palmer
Childhood is now toxic, believes that children are not raising their children properly, limiting their socialising by having them become ‘Ipad kids’, developing an extreme attachment to the technology. Easier approach to parenting, children not being socialised effectively.
This creates a toxic generation where these children will not know how to properly raise children of their own.
Evaluation = evidence to suggest that some technology helps children develop, rather than prevent it. Help them to read, write, problem solving skills, etc.
Gittens
There is Age Patriarchy where children are oppressed by adults, ‘protecting’ them does not make their childhood better. The laws protecting them instead force them to be financially dependent on adults, giving children an inferior status.
Evaluation =
A = Humphreys supports Gittens, 25% of women who left abusive partners did so out of fear for child’s life. Extreme abuse of adults towards children.
D = Cunningham says children have far more control over money. Children spent £4 billion a year in the UK, have much more power in the family.
Womack
British children are the unhappiest in the western world. 33% live away from their biological father (family breakdown).
UNICEF
UK children more prone to poor health and failure in school, poor relationships with parents, exposed to drugs, alcohol, etc. 17% of children have mental health issues.
Postman
Childhood is a separate life stage from adulthood - ceasing to exist due to the rise and fall of print media.
There is no longer an information hierarchy as you only need to speak the language to get access to ‘adult’ information: sex, death, drugs, etc.
Children do not need special skills to access ‘adult’ information, therefore childhood is disappearing all-together.
Howard
Children born into poor families more likely to die in infancy, have long term illnesses, intellectually/physically underdeveloped, etc.
Bonke
Girls do 5 times more domestic labour than boys. Boys are also given more freedom.
Bhatti
Asian girls are much more restricted by their parents due to their ethnic subculture.
