childhood social contruct

• childhood is created by society and varies across cultures
• UK describes childhood as a special fundamental phase from child to adult
• Childhood is not universal, differs across time, place and cultures
• childhood is biologically inevitable so it is not determined by age
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - historical difference

  Aries says pre industrial society saw children as mini adults with no protection whereas today children are seen vunerable and have restrictions
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - historical difference

  EVALUATION - aries research relied on painting, lacks validity as they do not give a true picture of childhood as only the rich could afford painting
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - cultural differences

  Uk views childhood as innocent and protected with laws enforced whereas other cultures like India, Africa create child labour and child soldiers making them work instead of getting an education
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - difference in uk children

  social class - 4 million children live in poverty due to social class inequality and have negative childhood experiences due to material deprivation
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - difference in uk children

  social class evaluation - austerity widens the gap between the working and middle class leading to poverty, financial stress and food bank dependency
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - difference in uk children

  ethnicity - asian girls are typically more protected than boys with strict curfew, tracking apps and are expected to be submissive and do domestic tasks
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - difference in uk children

  ethnicity evaluation - intersectionality, we cant only look at ethnicity gender will also have an affect of social control
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - difference in uk children

  gender - girls have more social control in childhood than boys due to gender stereotypes and socialisation, limiting career opportunites eg boys grow to believe the home is a womans domain
• CHILDHOOD IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT - difference in uk children

  gender evaluation - many parents are raising their children in gender neutral ways to reduce gender differences in childhood experience