Childhood

Question 1

How is childhood a social construct?

Answer 1

the idea of childhood varies across the world and has changed over time with different cultures and values e.g age you can leave education, drink, marry etc

Question 2

What does Jane Pilcher argue about childhood?

Answer 2

it is separated from other life phases, children have different rights, duties and protection.

Question 3

When does Aries argue the ‘cult of childhood’ developed and why?

Answer 3

• after industrialisation
• looked at paintings in 60s
• 300 years ago children were just ‘mini adults’
• with industrialisation, children were valued and looked after, which also helped create the role of a housewife
• ‘cult’ first developed in the middle class but over time has become accepted by working class

Question 4

What is the functionalist view of childhood?

Answer 4

Shorter - ‘march of progress’

• there’s a functional need for better educated citizens and lower infant mortality rates so school leaving age has gone up and child protection has improved
• current position of children is the result of positive progression from the past

Question 5

How has the status of children changed?

Answer 5

• society is more child-centered
• children are protected and supervised
• IMR dropped
• families getting smaller so more focus and money on each child
• link to march of progress argument
• parents want a better life for their children than they experienced

Question 6

Give 2 examples of laws that are in place to protect children.

Answer 6

• restrictions on sexual behaviour, access to alcohol and amount of paid work they can do
• Children Act 1989 - allows kids to be taken by state if they think parents aren’t suitable

Question 7

Why does the NSPCC argue children need greater protection?

Answer 7

16% of children under 16 have experienced sexual abuse

25% of children have experienced physical violence

Question 8

Why do ‘child liberationists’ believe that society oppresses children?

Answer 8

Gittins - ‘age patriarchy’ in society where adults maintain authority over children by using enforced dependency e.g limit on hours they can work but call it ‘protection’

Hockey and James - noted most children wished to escape from childhood, want to grow up

Question 9

How does childhood vary across different races, classes and genders?

Answer 9

• kids in poverty suffer poor health and lower achievement so more likely to spend their lives in poverty
• Statham and Owens - black children more likely to end up in care
• ethnicity influences where a child lives
• Brannen - asian families are stricter with daughters than sons
• Hillman - parents generally give boys more freedom
• Bonke - girls perform more household chores than boys, especially in lone parent households

Question 10

How is the concept of childhood different in different cultures?

Answer 10

-Punch - children in rural Bolivia were given responsibilities at 5 years old, contrasting western values towards child labour after industrialisation
Katz - Sudanese children have more freedom than in western societies

Question 11

Give 2 policies that show how British society today is more child-centered than ever

Answer 11

1. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - children are recognised as having unique human rights, this was agreed by all UN members
2. Child Support Act 1991 - established CSA (child support agency) children are legally entitled to be supported financially by their parents

Question 12

What does Jenks say about the influence of postmodern society on childhood?

Answer 12

Jenks - 20thc focused on futurity of children (children were the future)

• adult relationships are less dependable due to divorce, so parents prioritise their relationships with their kids
• adults view children view a lens of nostalgia (represent the things society has lost) so has led to increased protection

Question 13

How can Jenks be criticised?

Answer 13

• makes too many generalisations
• Palmer - children are now experiencing ‘toxic childhood’ as their lives are more violent, stressful and sexually active
• technology has harmed children’s development

Question 14

What does Postman argue about the future of childhood?

Answer 14

1. it’s disappearing
2. they grow up too quickly and are exposed e.g TV
3. says definitions of childhood and adulthood need to be changed soon

Question 15

What does Nick Lee argue about the future of childhood?

Answer 15

1. disagrees with Postman
2. it has become ambiguous but parents have financial control so kids can only spend what parents allow
3. paradox of childhood is one of both dependence and independence