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43 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is meant by childhood as a social construct? |
Childhood, what people mean by childhood and the position children occupy in society, isn't fixed but differs between different times, places and cultures. |
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What is meant by the modern Western notion of childhood? |
Generally that childhood is a special time of life and children are fundamentally different from adults. They are seen as physically and psychologically immature and not yet competent to run own lives. |
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Children's lack of skills, knowledge and experience mean that they require what? |
A lengthy, protected period of nurturing and socialisation before they're ready for adult society and its responsibilities. |
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By what is the separateness of childhood emphasised? |
By laws regulating what they can or can't do. Through clothes, particularly younger children, through products and services like toys, books, entertainment, play areas. |
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What does Wagg say about the view that childhood is a separate age-status not being universal? |
While all humans go through same physical development, different cultures define or construct it differently. |
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In what 3 ways does Benedict think children in non-industrial societies are treated differently from western countries? |
1) - Take responsibility at early age - Punch - rural Colombia. Children at 5 expected to take work responsibilities. 2) - Less value placed on children showing obedience to adult authority - Firth - Tikopia of Western Pacific. Doing as told by adult is seen as concession not right to be expected by adult. 3) - Children's sexual behaviour often viewed differently - Malinowski - Trobriand islanders of South West Pacific. Adults took attitude of tolerance and interest towards Children's sexual explorations and activities. |
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What does Benedict conclude from findings? |
In many non-industrial cultures, much less of dividing line between behaviour expected of children and adults. Shows childhood not fixed thing found universally in same form. |
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What is the globalisation of childhood? |
- Western notions of childhood imposed on rest of world. - Based on nuclear family in West. - Separated from adult world. - Seen as innocent and vulnerable. |
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How do campaigns reinforce this globalisation of childhood? |
- In West, we're concerned about child labour and exploitation. - But, these campaigns may reflect Western notions of what childhood should be like. - This activity may be important preparation for adult life, so Western intervention may have little impact on children's position. |
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What are historical differences in childhood? |
- Position of children differs across time as well as cultures. - Some sociologists believe childhood as we know it is a fairly recent trend. - Aries - notion of modern childhood didn't exist from 10th-13th century. |
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What does Aries believe about childhood in the middle ages? |
- Childhood very short period. - Expected to enter wider society once had passed physical dependency. - May begin working for another household. |
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How was punishment different for children in the middle ages? |
- Laws at the time didn't believe children didn't know difference between right and wrong, age of criminal responsibility was 7. - Youngest child executed in England was John Dean, 7-8, convicted of arson in 1629. - Judge found evidence of malice, revenge and cunning so didn't recommend a reprieve for boy. |
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How does Aries believe childhood was different in past through art? |
- Children depicted as mini adults, wearing smart styles of clothing. - Few showing sentimental images of childhood. |
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What does Shorter say about parental attitudes in past? |
- Very different. - Higher death rates, death of infant was often met with indifference. |
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What is believed about modern culture of childhood? |
- Schools became places for children. - Early schools often church schools with Christian ideas of fragility of childhood. - Clothing began to change, 17th C, clothing for teenagers emerging. - 18th C, saw modern notion of child-centredness emerging, books on childbearing printed and becoming popular. |
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When does Aries believe we became obsessed with childhood? |
- 20th century. - Childhood became special time and children were nurtured and protected. |
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Give 3 criticisms of Aries: |
- Childhood did exist in past, Pollock says it was just different. - Still evidence of people caring for children. - Paintings may not be true picture of childhood in past. |
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What are the reasons for changes in position of children? |
- Laws protecting children from exploitation through child labour. - Compulsory schooling for all (not just rich). - Childhood protection agencies. - Children's rights - UN. - Declining family size and low infant mortality (caring for fewer children). - Child development theories. - Laws specifically aimed at children (drinking, smoking, sex). |
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The future of childhood: what does Postman argue about the disappearance of childhood? |
- It's disappearing very quickly. - Points out the trend of giving children same rights as adults and children committing adult crimes. - Suggests communications technology is the main thing that shapes society, in middle ages, most were illiterate so there was little distinction between children and adults. |
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What does Postman argue about the information hierarchy? |
- Childhood emerged with mass literacy. - Printed word created division between those who could and couldn't read. - Adults had the power as they could keep adult world separate and secretive. - In contemporary society, technology blurs this division as children can access adult world. |
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How does Opie criticise the theory that childhood is disappearing? |
- Argues there is plenty of evidence to show there is a separate childhood culture. They still have games, rhymes and songs not shared with adults. |
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Childhood in postmodern society: how does Jenks criticise the theory that childhood is disappearing? |
- In postmodern societies, children becoming more important as there is so much uncertainty in the world. Adults preoccupied with keeping children safe from dangers. - Family becomes refuge from the world. |
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Childhood in postmodernity: how does Jenks criticise specifically the idea that technology is causing the disappearance of childhood? |
- Hasn't caused disappearance of childhood. - Has led to parents thinking children and childhood need to be more protected than ever e.g. increase in social policies surrounding safeguarding. |
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Childhood in postmodernity: evaluate Jenks' arguments against the idea that childhood is disappearing. |
- Is some evidence that parents are concerned about risks in society, Jenks uses small samples which are unrepresentative. - He also makes generalisations about all children, however not all children are in same position. |
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What is the march of progress view on whether the position of children has improved? |
- Over past few centuries, position of children in Western societies has been steadily improving, today it is better than its ever been. - Aries and Shorter hold a march of progress view - today's children more valued, better cared for, protected and educated, enjoy better health and have more rights. - E.g. Children today better protected from harm and exploitation by laws against child abuse. |
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How has the family become child-centred? |
- Improved living standards in terms of wages, housing, sanitation, nutrition, hygiene and improvements in maternal health care have caused decline in infant mortality rate. - People no longer need lots of children to ensure some survived. - As society became more affluent, children needed less as economic assets and raising them became more expensive. - Parents chose to have fewer children - but higher aspirations for them. |
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How is society child-centred? |
- Due to: media output and leisure activities that are all aimed at children. |
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What is the term toxic childhood? |
- Created by Palmer. - Argues it is a toxic mix of technological and cultural changes are having a negative impact on development of a growing number of children. |
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What are these changes that cause toxic childhood? |
- Decline of outdoor play - linked to child obesity. - Commercialisation of childhood - linked to children being exploited by advertisers. - Schoolification of early childhood - reduces independence. |
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What is the conflict view and what do conflict sociologists criticise the march of progress view on? |
- Conflict sociologists argue the march of progress view of modern childhood is based on an idealised image. Criticisms: - Are inequalities among children and opportunities on offer - many are neglected. - Inequalities between children and adults greater than ever: children are oppressed and dependent rather than cared for and nurtured. |
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What inequalities among children are there? |
- 90% of world's low birth-weight babies born in less developed countries. - Gender differences - Hillman says boys more likely to be allowed out unaccompanied after dark. - Ethnic differences - Brannen's study of 15-16 year old found Asian parents more likely than other parents to be strict towards daughters. |
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What social class inequalities among children are there? |
- low birthweight babies linked to poverty. - Working-class parents more likely to have children with behavioural problems compared to professional parents. - Poverty associated with higher infant mortality, illness, stunted growth and greater risk of abuse. |
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What are the inequalities between children and adults? |
- This view is opposite of march of progress view - sees child protection as oppression. - Firestone - believes children need to be liberated. |
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What is neglect and abuse? |
- Adults have control over children so can abuse them. - This can be physical, sexual or emotional. - Most of abuse it by parents towards their own children. |
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What is control over children's space and time? |
- Moved on from shops and parks. - Taken to school - seen as too dangerous to walk. - Adults control daily routines-times to eat, go to bed etc. - Also control what they think are age appropriate activities. |
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What is control over bodies? |
- What to wear. - Can't have tattoos or piercings. - Can't have certain hairstyles. - Contrast with more relaxed lifestyles in some countries. |
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What is control over children's access to resources? |
- Limited opportunities to earn money. - Pocket money is controlled by adults. - Children in less developed countries already earning from early age. |
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What is age patriarchy according to Gittins? |
-Is the inequalities between adults and chikdren. - Gittins uses this term to include all adults not just father. - Today, power includes abuse-often part of domestic violence. - Patriarchy oppresses children as well as women. |
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What strategies do Hockey and James identify that children use to fight adult oppression? |
- Can be acting up: smoking, drinking, taking drugs, under-age sex, criminal activities. - Acting down: resisting adult control by reverting to infantile behaviour. |
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Give criticisms of age patriarchy: |
- Children need adult control at times in their lives. - Childhood protection there to ensure children are safe from abuse. - Children have right and adults must respect them. |
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What is the new sociology of childhood? |
- Doesn't see childhood from adult perspective. - Looks at children as more active instead of passive victims of adults. |
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Explain the Child's point of view: |
- Smart - we need to look at experiences of children themselves. - Children construct their own childhood. - Children may actively involve themselves in situations like divorce, helps them express what they want. - The approach uses interviews to discover children's views of how they see the world. |
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What are multiple childhoods? |
- This approach looked at different groups, instead of seeing just one childhood. - Disabled children. - BAME. - Children living in poverty, adopted and those in care. - This approach empowers children and is favoured by the child liberationists. |
