Childhood Flashcards
(12 cards)
Explanations for the social construction of childhood
- modern western notion of childhood
Pilcher
- most important feature of childhood is ‘separateness’, childhood = distinct life stage ‘golden age’ of happiness and innocence
Explanations for the social construction of childhood
- cross cultural differences
Benedict
- childhood in simpler, non-industrial societies are generally treated differently from modern western countries
- children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed differently
Punch
- take responsibility at an early age, e.g. children in Bolivia expected to take on work responsibilities
Firth
- less value is placed on showing obedience to adult authority, e.g. amongst Tikopia, children obey authority but was not a right adults expect
Explanations for the social construction of childhood
- Historical differences
Philippe Aries
- pre-industrial society or Middle Ages, ‘the idea of childhood did not exist’
- children were ‘mini adults’
Shorter
- high death rates encourages neglect and indifference, e.g. common to find siblings names to be the same as dead sibling
Explanations for the social construction of childhood
- modern cult of childhood
Aries
- childhood emerged from about the 13th century
- clothes distinct by the 17th century
- by 18th century, handbooks on childrearing were available.
20th century = ‘the century of the child’
Why did the position of children improve in the 19th and 20th centuries? (7)
1) laws restricting child labour
2) compulsory schooling
3) child protection and welfare legislation
4) growth of the idea of children rights
5) declining family size and lower infant mortality rates
6) children’s development
7) laws and policies
Childhood is disappearing
Postman
- children are becoming more like adults = same rights, similar clothing
boundary between adult and child is broken down, both able to read and write + internet broken the information hierarchy
Childhood is changing
- postmodernism
Jenks
- agrees with Aries that childhood was a creation of modern society
- child needed to be nurtured by the child-centered family
- adults become more fearful of child’s security due to relationships becoming more unstable ( Divorce Reform Act 1969)
Childhood HAS improved
- march of progress view
Aries and Shorter
- children are more valued, better cared for, protected and educated, enjoy better health and have more rights
Childhood HAS improved
- child-centered families
5.7 birth per women in 1860, in 2014 the figure was 1.83
- by 21st birthday, child will cost £227,000
- no longer to be ‘seen and not heard’
Childhood HAS NOT improved
- toxic childhood
Palmer
- rapid technological and cultural changes in past 25years damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development
Margo and Dixon
- UK youth are near top of international league tables for obesity, self-harm, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, early sexual experience and teenage pregnancies’
UNICEF survey
- ranked UK 16th out of 29 for children’s well being
Childhood HAS NOT improved
- conflict view (criticise ‘march of progress’)
many inequalities among children + inequalities between children and adults are greater than ever
Inequalities among children
gender differences : Hillman
- 90% of the world’s low birth-weight babies are born in developing countries.
- boys are more likely to be allowed to cross or cycle on roads and go out after dark
ethnic differences : Brannen’s study of 15-16year olds found Asian parents more strict to daughters
Bhatti
- idea of family honour could be restriction, particularly on behaviour of girls
class differences : poor mothers have babies with low birth weight, causes physical and intellectual development
Childhood HAS NOT improved
- age patriarchy
Gittins
- inequalities between adults and children growing
Humphreys and Thiara
- quarter of 200 women in their study left their abusing partner because they feared for their children’s life
Hockey and James
- children often ‘act up’
- children ‘act down’
concluded with modern childhood is which most children want to escape
