Topic 2- Childhood

02/10/2023- Is childhood a social construct?

What is a social construct?

Defined as something that is created and given meaning to by society

What are the 3 explanations that childhood is a social construct?

Differences in childhood between society

Differences in childhood within society

Differences in childhood overtime

What is Pilcher’s view on childhood?

The most important feature of modern idea childhood is separateness. Childhood is seen as a clear and distinct life stage, occupy a different status from adults

What is the ‘Golden stage’?

Life is full of happiness and innocence

What does Stephen Wagg argue?

While we all go through the same biological process, difference cultures construct or define this process differently.

How do children and adults occupy different status from eachother?

Food, Toys, Laws, Leisure

What are 2 examples of the differences in childhood between societies?

Samantha Punch-children take responsibility at the age of 5 in Bolivia.

Ruth Benedict- Children in non-industrial societies are treated differently.

What are 2 examples of differences in childhood within society?

Philippe Aries- suggests that the idea of childhood did not exist during the middle ages

Edward Shorter- argues the high death rates encouraged neglect towards children, showing the different attitudes towards children within a society.

What evidence did Aries use for his theories?

Paintings/works of art

What are 2 examples of differences in childhood overtime?

Introducing compulsory schooling in 1880

Child protection and welfare legislation, 1889 prevention of cruelty act

What does Niel Postman (1994) argue?

He argues that childhood is ‘ disappearing at a dazzling speed’

Why does Postman think childhood is changing?

Childhood’s disappearing lies in the rise and fall of print culture and its replacement by tv culture

What is an Information Hierarchy?

Where there is a sharp division between adults who can read and children who cannot

Why is TV harmful to the modern concept of childhood?

TV diminishes the boundary between child and adult by destroying the information hierarchy

What does Jenk’s argue?

Jenk’s (2005) does not believe childhood is disappearing but it is changing.

What does Jenk’s (2005) believe the purpose of childhood is?

The purpose of childhood was to prepare and individual to become a productive adult in the future.

Why is childhood changing?

Society is moving from modernity to post-modernity. In modern society relationships were stable, postmodern relationships are not stable, parents become extremely protective of their children.

What does the march of progress view argue about the position of children within society?

The march of progress view argues that the position of children in western society has been steadily improving and is better than ever

What is a child centered family?

Families are much smaller which means parents can invest more emotionally and financially into their children

What evidence shows society has become more child centered?

By a child’s 21st birthday, they would have cost their parents £227000

What does Sue Palmer (2007) argue?

She argues that there is a toxic childhood due to rapid technological and cultural changes in the past 25 years which has damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development

What is an inequality among children around the world?

Children of different nationalities experience different life chances. 90% of the world’s low birth weights are born in developing countries.

What does Hillman (1993) argue about inequalities among children of different gender?

Boys are more likely to cross and cycle on roads and stay out in the dark

What does Bonke (1999) argue about the inequalities among children of different gender?

Girls do 5x more domestic labour than boys, even more in lone parent households

What are inequalities between children of different classes?

Poor mothers are more likely to have low birth weight babies, have children who suffer from hyperactivity, 4x more likely to experience conduct disorders and suffer illnesses.

What is an inequality between children and adults that Firestone argues?

Firestone (1979) argues that care and protection are forms of control. Children not working is not a benefit to them as it makes them more hopeless and dependent on adults

What is child liberationism?

Free children from adult control

What is an inequality between children and adults regarding abuse

Adult control can lead to child abuse, in 2013 43,000 children were subject to child protection plans against their own parents

What are some examples of adult’s controlling children?

Control over children’s time and their bodies