Sociology Childhood
- Created by: milliewood18
- Created on: 18-03-17 17:28
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- Childhood
- Socially constructed. Created and defined by society that vaires between different cultures, socities and different historical periods
- The modern western notion of childhood: Pilcher- Children are seen as different to adults due to differences in dress, toys/books, and laws
- Childhood in the middle ages - Aries
- Childhood didn't exist
- Children were mini adults who took part in the same work and play as adults
- Children were seen as an economic asset, providing money
- Children were punished for crimes the same way adults were
- EVALUATION OF ARIES
- Strengths-Valuable, demonstrates different stages of childhood
- Pollock criticises, as people have different ideas of what childhood was
- Secondary data wasn't originally for sociologists
- Questioned whether paintings are biased/ accurate
- Reasons for improvements
- Laws enforcing children's rights e.g. child protection
- Specialist knowledge about children's health
- Demographic changed e.g. decrease in infant mortality rate
- Smaller Families
- The Future of childhood -Postman
- Childhood is disappearing
- Same rights as adults
- Clothing similarities
- Committing the same crimes as adults
- EVALUATION OF POSTMAN- OPIE
- Childhood isn't disappearing
- e.g children's books, rhymes, children's culture
- Postmans study is still valuable, it demonstrates how different types of communication technology influences how childhoos is constructed
- Information hierarchy
- Adults could keep info from children, due to print culture
- Boundaries between adults and children dissapearing
- Tastes and styles becoming similar to adults
- Has childhood actually improved?
- Functionalists
- March of progress view
- Child centred families, higher living standards
- Children's rights e.g. education, healthcare, protection
- Listened to e.g. school councils
- Liberationists
- Gittens says they're victims of age patriarchy
- Palmer says children have suffered from a toxic childhood where technology has stunted development
- Functionalists
- Postmodern view - Jenks
- Childhood isn't changing, it's disappearing
- Postmodern world is more unstable e.g. relationships because of divorce
- Many adults fearful for their children, rise in publicity of abuse
- Relationships with children are important
- EVALUATION
- generalising diversity in families
- Shouldn't make sweeping statements about children
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