Childhood

Childhood is a social construction.

Globalisation: the process of the world becoming more interconnected and similar 

98% of all non-illiterates live in developing countries. 

There are laws to protect children in the UK: 

• Children's Act 1989
• Education Act 2002
• Protection of Children Act 1978

Age of sexual consent in the UK is 16 

Age of sexual consent in Malawi is 13

Aries:

• Children are like 'mini adults'- their clothes and work 
• In the Medieval era, the idea of childhood did not exist
• Fatal diseases were prevalent and IMR were extremely high 
• Young children were not expected to live for long 
• The 20th Century was the 'cent of the child'

Pilcher: 

• The most important feature of the modern idea of childhood was separateness.
• It is seen as a clear and distinct life stage. 
• Children in society occupy a separate status from adults. 

Postman: 

• Childhood is 'disappearing at a dazzling speed' 

Children protected by laws: 

• Donzelot: Stressed how children needed supervision and protection. Laws such as child protection and cruelty policies were put in place. 
• e.g.: smoking in cars with children under 18 is banned.

Evaluation: This does not apply globally. Punch (2001) found that children in Bolivia are expected to take on work responsibilities from the age of 5 and child labour is legal.

Children are an economic liability: 

• They are no longer an economic benefit- compulsory education until 18.
• It costs approx. £218,000 to raise a child in the UK

Infant mortality rate has decreased: 

• 1900s- 15% of babies died within their first year of birth. 
• Today- 0.38% babies died before their first year of birth. (better sanitation, healthcare)

The family has become more child-centered:

• Through leisure time, education, emotional support
  

Gender inequalities: 

• McRobbie- Girls are closely socialised and encouraged to stay in the private sphere- bedroom culture. 
• They are less likely to be allowed out late out at night than boys.

Ethnic inequalities:

• Brannen 1994 study- 15-16-year-olds found that Asian parents were more likely than other ethnicities to be strict towards their daughters. 

Class inequalities: 

• Howard(2001)- children born into poor families are more likely to die in infancy or childhood, suffer from illnesses/injuries, be shorter in height, do badly in school to be placed on a child protection register. 

Over 25% of children live in poverty in the UK

Neglect and Abuse : 

• Adult control over children can get extreme - physical/ sexual/ emotional abuse 
• In 2013, 43,000 children were put on child protection plans. 
• AGE PATRIARCHY: adult dominance and having power. 

Toxic Childhood- Palmer: 

• Due to rapid technological advances and cultural changes in the past 25 years, it has damaged children's physical, emotional and intellectual developments. 
• These changes range from junk food, computer games and intensive marketing for children.

Controls over children's: 

Access to resources: 

• children have limited opportunity to earn money so they remain economically dependent on adults- pocket money.

Space: 

• Children are closely observed now due to fear of road safety and 'stranger danger'

Time:

• Adults control children's daily routines and the speed at which they grow up as they define whether a child is too old or young.

Bodies:

• Adults restrict the ways in which children may touch their own bodies and what they wear.

Womack:

• 'Childhood is either good or bad, some have desperate lives others do not.' 

Wagg: 

• Childhood is not universal it is socially constructed and more than just a biological state.