Topic 2 - Childhood

• Wagg: Childhood as a social construct

  • no single universal childhood experienced by all - not fixed, differs between different time, places & cultures
  • childhood isn't "natural" shouldn't be distinguished from mere biological immaturity
• Pilcher: Modern Western notion of childhood

  most important feature is separateness - occupy separate status from adults

  • e.g. laws regulating what children are allowed, required/forbidden to do - Compulsory Education Act (2014) - increased age children required to be in education from 16 to 18

  status = idea of childhood as "golden age" of happiness & innocence

  • innocence = vulnerable and need of protection from dangers of adult world "quarantined"
  • lead lives of leisure & play, largely excluded from paid work
• CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLE: In 2020, Arthur Labinjo (6 yr old) murdered & suffered abuse from dad and his girlfriend

  • body covered in 130 bruises
• Globalisation of Western Childhood

  • argue Western notion of childhood being exported & imposed of rest of world - e.g. laws against child labour
  • assumption by campaigners, charities & aid agencies that Western notions of childhood are right
  • shows childhood = social construct & not universal truth
• childhood across cultures

  Benedict: claims non-industrial cultures less distinction between adult & child behaviour

  • expectation & children treated differently to western societies

  suggests 3 distinct differences between modern "western" children from non-industrial societies
• childhood across cultures

  1. earlier responsibility: Punch - study of childhood in rural Bolivia, children expected to take work responsibilities

  • in home/community

  2. sexual behaviour: Troband Islanders of the South-west Pacific

  Malinowski: adults took "amused interest & tolerance" towards children's sexual explorations

  3. less obedience to adult authority - Firth: among Tikopia of the , western Pacific, doing as your told by grown up regarded as concession to be granted by child
• other evidence of childhood across cultures

  Malawi: no minimum marriage legal age, so children are being married at young ages - sexual exploitation

  • some children have to walk long hours to get to school - cant afford money for transport
  • sweatshops
• Aries: Medieval notion of Childhood (10th-13th century):

  • In middle ages, children not seen as different "nature" or needs from adults
  • childhood as separate age-stage, after being weaned, child entered wider society as adults
  • Shorter: high death rates encouraged indifferences & neglect, especially among infants
• Medieval notion of Childhood (13th century - present):

  • schools begun to specialise in education of the young
  • growing distinction between child & adult clothes, by 17th century upper-class dressed in "outfit reserved for his own age group"
  • By 18th century growing sense of child centeredness
• child protection & welfare legislation

  1889 Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act - enabled the state to intervene for the first time in relation to abuse between parents & children

  1989 Children Act - made welfare of child fundamental principle underpinning work of agencies

  e.g. social services
• Laws & Policies applied specifically to children

  • minimum age for wide range of activities

  e.g. from sex to smoking - reinforced idea children different from adults, so different rules applied to their behaviour
• Postman: childhood "disappearing at a dazzling speed"

  • disappearance of children's traditional unsupervised games, growing similarity of clothing
  • fall of print culture replaced by television culture

  Middle Ages most = illiterate - speech only skill needed for participation in adult world

  • children able to enter adult society from early age as no division
• The Information Hierarchy

  Postman: childhood emerged as separate status along with mass literacy, sharp division between those who cant read

  • gave adults power to keep knowledge about sex, violence etc.
  • childhood became associated with innocence & ignorance
  • television blurs distinction destroying information hierarchy, TV doesn't require special skills to access - boundary broken down
  • disappearance of adulthood - adults + children's tastes & style become indistinguishable
• March of Progress View: position of children in Western societies steadily improving

  Aries & Shorter: today's children = more valued, better protected, educated, better health than previous relationships

  e.g. protected from harm & exploitation (child labour 1973, ChildLine, compulsory schooling 1980)
• Child-centered family

  • smaller family sizes = parents afford to provide for children's needs

  MOP: family become child-centered & focal point of family

  • family heavily invest in children emotionally & financially
  • high aspirations so children have better life & opportunities - By 21st birthday child costs parents over £227,000
  • not just family but society as a whole

  e.g. media output, leisure activities designated for children
• Toxic Childhood:

  Palmer: children today experiencing "toxic childhood" from rapid technology + cultural changes

  • damaged physical, emotional & intellectual development
  • concerns expressed about young people's health & behaviour

  e.g. UK youth have above average rates in international league tables for obesity, violence, sexual activity etc.

  Ferguson: argues other factors opposed to video games leads to aggressive & violent behaviour

  e.g. James Bulger case