Childhood as a social instructions

What is a social construction?

Social phenomena that is not naturally occurring but instead is created by society and varies from culture to culture

What is a child?

difficult term to define

legally it is 18 in most countries

biologically it is before someone reaches puberty

different cultures have different ideas

Which sociologists argue that childhood isn’t a social construction?

Pilcher - Separateness

James and Prout - Dominate framework

Who says maybe?

sensible analytical approach

Who argues yes?

Benedict - cultural relativity

Aries - Historical relativity

What did Pilcher say?

P: Childhood is a clear and distinct stage, which is reflected in laws, dress, services and age of innocence.

Evidence: According to Pilcher, childhood is seen as a clear and distinct life stage, marked by differences in dress, laws, products, and practices. For example, children are expected to wear different clothes, be protected by child-specific laws (like age restrictions), and engage in leisure activities different from those of adults.

PHYSICALLY → DEVELOPMENT LATE 20S, PSYCHOLOGICALLY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

Explain: This concept supports the view that society constructs childhood as a separate and protected time of life, emphasizing vulnerability and innocence. It reflects the modern western notion of childhood, where children are shielded from adult responsibilities and are expected to develop through clearly defined stages.

Link: Pilcher’s idea of separateness is useful for understanding how childhood is socially constructed, but it can be criticized by sociologists like Jenks or Postman, who argue that this boundary is breaking down in postmodern society due to media influence and changing family dynamics.

What did James and Prout argue?

P: James and Prout argued that children and adults have different frameworks.

E: Children have a simple and amoral, whereas adults are complex and moral.

E: Children see the world in black and white and are only concerned with themselves and don’t look at the impact on others. This is caused by children being more vulnerable and having less understanding. Adults are complex and moral. Adults are able to see the world in multiple shades and have a moral compass for decision making

Sensible analytical approach

P: Different stages of development are more likely to be a social construction than others.

E: In infancy and toddler, this is not a social construction as there is compete dependency. This is universal not cultural.

In 5-12 age, it could be considered a social construction as we start to see differences culturally

13+ is more than likely to be a social construction→ historical and cultural differences are far more apparent

Cultural relativity

P: Benedict argues that childhood varies in different cultures and within the culture itself.

E: Intra cultural differences are class and gender different → girls and boys have more similar experience in the UK and very different in Bangladeshi homes

In different cultures, but there’s different responsibilities and freedoms. Sexual activity, like masturbation, was tolerated in the Trobriand Islanders for Malinowski

Historical relativity

P: Aries argued that childhood has changed over time and what we consider to be childhood is a social construction

E: Preindustrial society → studied using paintings and found that children were considered mini children → children would work as soon as they could and little variation in games and toys

Industrial society → start of the modern concept of childhood but children still worked in factories → same as adults in CJS → beginning of child protection laws

Modern era → childhood today is protected time and dependency → different culture and activities