childhood

social construct

a practice that is produced by a society based on assumptions and interpretations

using evidence from history how is childhood a construct

• medieval period - children were seen as ‘little adults’

who was the key thinker who hypothesised childhood was not the same throughout history

Aries

what has happened to childhood over time

as a society we are now more child centered and nurture and protect children more intensely than before

what are some cross cultural differences in childhood

Benedict argues children in simple industrial societies are generally treated differently compared to modern western counterparts in three ways:

• responsibility at a young age.

• less value in obedient children.

• sexual behaviour viewed differently

explain responsibility at a young age.

Punch (2001) studied childhood in rural Bolivia and found when children were around 5 they were expected to take on work and family responsibilities

Holmes (1974) found in Samoan village the reason of ‘too young’ was not accepted as a reason for a child not to do work

explain sexual behaviour viewed differently

Cambodian love huts made for children to have a private environment for intimacy

• feminists encourage this because they believe it empowers young women and their right to decision making

reasons of changes of child positions in the uk

• age restrictions separate adults and children

• children’s rights - eg children and young persons act (1933)

• infant mortality rate decline - parents invest emotionally and financially to their kids

how can gender affect childhood

Sharpe et al found that boys and girls are socialised into a set of behaviours based on cultural expectations about masc/femininity which affect the way they are treated.

• girls are seen as in greater need of protection and therefore subjected to stricter social controls from parents, spending more time at home

• boys are rarely seen to be in need of protection from external threats, therefore spend more of their time outside with peers

how can social class affect childhood

• upper class spend most of their formative years in private boarding schools

• middle class may be encouraged from an early age to aim for university and a professional career

• middle class more likely to experience more vibrant childhoods due to being put into artistic, sporting and cultural activities/ courses

• poor families likely to be controlled by the state

how has childhood become more child centred

• smaller families: lower birth rates mean parents can invest more emotional and financial care to a single child.

• increasing affluence: higher wages

• specialization: there are now doctors, lawyers, and psychologists specializing specifically in children’s welfare.

• consumerism: Huge markets for toys and games tailored specifically to children.

who coined toxic childhood and what does it mean

sue palmer → the idea that rapid technological and cultural changes are damaging children's development (eg. screen time, junk food, and the less outdoor play)

→links these to rising rates of ADHD, childhood obesity, and mental health issues.

What was Philippe Ariès’ main argument

• childhood is a social construct and did not exist in the Middle Ages.

• children were "miniature adults" who worked alongside grown-ups.

• childhood only emerged when the middle class began to value education and privacy, leading to the "cult of the child."

what was the cult of the child

• the 19th-century Victorian view of children as innocent, fragile, and sacred beings.

• no longer part of the community's workforce but were "quarantined" in the home for protection and schooling.

What does Chapman argue regarding childhood

• childhood is not a universal experience; it differs based on gender.

• Boys are often given more freedom and encouraged to be adventurous

• girls are strictly supervised and socialized into "bedroom culture" (reading, talking, staying indoors).

What does Linda Pollock argue (Criticism of Ariès)?

• Just because the concept of childhood was different doesn't mean parents didn't love or protect their children.

• She used diaries and historical records to show that parents in the Middle Ages still grieved for lost children

What does the Conventional approach argue?

role of childhood is to be socialized into the values and norms of society so they can become respective adults of society

What does Social action Theory argue about childhood?

• criticise convetialist approach

• focus on how kids interpret world around them

• each experience is unique - they are not empty vesicles

Why is portraiture a weak argument for analyzing childhood

• Portraits only showed the children of the rich, not the masses.

• Art is open to interpretation; what Ariès saw as a "mini-adult," others might see as a child dressed formally