Sociology- Childhood as a social construct
- Created by: Daisymac
- Created on: 19-01-19 14:06
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- Childhood as a social construct
- What?
- Sociologists see childhood as socially constructed
- They argue that what people mean by childhood, and the position that children occupy in society, is not fixed and differs over time
- The modern western notion of childhood
- Children are regarded as physically and psychologically immature and not yet competent to run their own lives
- Pilcher 1995 notes that the most important feature of the modern idea of childhood is separateness. Childhood is seen as a clear and distinct life stage and children in our society occupy a separate status from adults
- Emphasised through laws that forbid children to do certain things, as well as dress, food ,books and play areas
- Idea that childhood=golden age means that they are protected and quarantined from dangers.
- So their lives are lived largely in the sphere of the family and education
- Wagg 1992 argues that childhood is socially constructed as there is no single universal childhood experienced by all
- In western cultures, children are defined as vulnerable and unable to fend for themselves but other cultures do not see a great difference between children and adults
- Cross-cultural differences in childhood
- Comparative approach- To look at how children are seen and treated in other times and places than our own.
- Benedict 1934 argues that children in simpler, non-industrial societies are generally treated differently from modern societies
- They take responsibility at an early age-- punch's 2002 study of childhood in rural Bolivia found that they are expected to take work responsibilities in the home and community at age 5
- Holmes' 1974 study of a Samoan village found that too young was never reason for not doing a task.
- Less value is placed on children showing obedience - Firth 1970 found that among the Tikopia of the western pacific, doing as you were told is a concession to be granted by the child
- Children's sexual behaviour is often viewed differently- Malinowski 1957 study of Trobriand islanders found that adults took an attitude of 'tolerance and amused interest' towards children's sexual explorations
- The globalisation of western childhood
- International humanitarian and welfare agencies have exported and imposed on the rest of the world what a childhood should be
- EG. Campaigns against child labour, or concerns about street children reflect western views about how childhood should be
- However, some would argue these campaigns have little impact on the position of children
- Historical differences in childhood
- The position of children differs over time
- Historian Aries 1960 argues that in the middle ages ,the idea of childhood did not exist as children were not seen as having different needs from adults
- Childhood as a separate age stage was short
- Children were seen as mini adults with the same rights, duties and skills as adults
- His evidence was art from the period-- It shows that children appear without any of the characteristics of childhood
- Parental attitude has changed over time.Shorter 1975 argues the high death rate encouraged indifference and neglect. Eg. parents would forget children's names, how many children they had etc
- The modern cult of childhood
- According to Aries, elements of modern notion of childhood emerged from the 13th century onwards
- Schools came to specialise purely in education of the young and this reflected the impact of the church , which saw children as fragile creatures of God
- There was growing distinction between children's and adults clothing by 17th c
- By the 18th century, handbooks on childrearing were widely available
- Aries argues that these developments culminate in the modern cult of childhood and argues we have moved to a world that obsesses over childhood
- Some criticise Aries for arguing childhood not existing in the past .
- Pollock 1983 argues that it is more correct to say in the middle ages, society had a different notion of childhood
- But it is valuable as it shows how childhood is socially constructed
- Reasons for changing in the position of children
- Laws restricting child labour and excluding children from paid work
- The introduction of compulsory schooling in 1880
- Child protection and welfare legislation-- such as 1889 prevention of cruelty to children act and 1989 children act
- The growth of the idea of children's rights eg Rights of the child 1989 lays down basic rights
- Declining family size and lower infant mortality
- Children's development became the subject of medical knowledge
- Laws and policies that apply specifically to children
- Industrialisation
- What?
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