childhood

• pilcher

  childhood is now a separated Lifestage
• wagg

  childhood is socially constructed

  not all cultures regard childhood as a separate Lifestage
• Benedict 


  children in non-industrial societies treated differently than western societies

  1. take responsibility at early age
  2. less value placed on showing obedience to authority
  3. children sexual behaviour viewed differently
• aries - Middle Ages 


  argues in the Middle Ages the idea of childhood did not exist

  researched artworks from the period - found it difficult to distinguish between adult and child

  e.g children wore same clothes as adults

  laws were not separate - children got same punishments as adults
• aries - 13th century onwards


  elements of modern view of childhood emerged from 13th century

  schools specifically for children - influence of church which saw children as 'creatures of god'

  children and adults clothing became more distinct
• reasons for changes in position of children

  • laws restricting child labour
  • introduction of compulsory schooling
  • child protection legislation
  • declining family size
  • laws and policies specifically for children e.g underage drinking
  • industrialisation - modern industry needs education workforce
• postman


  argues childhood is disappearing

  e.g children committing adult murders, playing 18+ games

  due to television culture (new media)

  information hierarchy - due to mass literacy created division on who can and cannot read - gave adults power

  however, tv is more accessible to both - blurring lines
• jenks


  believes childhood is changing as we go from modernity to postmodernity

  modern society - adult relationships more stable

  postmodern society - more unstable e.g divorce - leads to parent becoming more protective of child
• march of progress view 


  position of childhood in western societies is improving

  Aries and shorter - children are more valued and protected
• Palmer 


  critical of march of progress view

  children today experience a toxic childhood

  due to rapid technology advances and new media

  damaged children's intellectual, emotional and physical development

  e.g junk food, computer games, social media
• conflict views


  marxists and feminists argue inequalities of childhood based on social groups remain

  children experience oppression, control - not care and protection

  argue we cannot generalise childhood experience - there are ethnic, gender and class differences to consider
• gender inequalities between children 


  bonke - girls do more domestic labour

  hillman - boys allowed to stay out late by themselves
• ethnic inqualities between children

  brannen - studied 15-16 year olds, found that Asian parents were more likely to be strict the daughters

  bratti - ideas of izzat (family honour) restricted how girls behaved
• class inequalities between children


  poor mothers more likely to have low birth weight children

  children of unskilled workers more likely to suffer from hyperactivity - have adhd

  children from poor families more likely to die in infancy
• Firestone and holt 


  critic march of progress view

  child liberationism

  argue children are being controlled and opressed by adults not cared and protected for

  e.g protection from paid work is a form of equality. segregates children- making them more dependent and powerless
• inequalities between children and adults

  1. neglect and abuse
  2. control of children's space
  3. control over children bodies
  4. control over children access to resources
  5. control over children time
• gittins


  age patriarchy - describes inequalities between adults and children

  adult domination and child dependency

  family originally referred to as power of male head over women and children
• new sociology of childhood

  approach doesn't see children as passive objects

  sees children as active agents who play major part in creating their own childhoods

  argue we must take perspective of the child
• smart et al


  new sociology of childhood

  studied divorce and found children were actively involved trying to better the situation
• The Children and Young Persons Act 1933,

  • restricting the use of children under 14 in employment.