Childhood

• What is a social construct?


  Something created by society and doesn’t naturally exist
• Ennew (globally)


  Jamaica > children part of workforce, last priority is to play
• Benedict (globally)


  kids in non-industrial societies expected to be more responsible at home, to work

  less value placed on obeying adults, sexual behaviour viewed differently
• Global factor


  > 150 million kids in developing countries involved in child labour

  theorists: Ennew, Benedict
• Aries (historically)


  medieval paintings

  > medieval Europe, children idea didnt exist (seen as ‘mini adults’ with same rights and duties

  > likely due to high IMR, low expectation of life, large families, little education, most adults had childlike qualities

  CRITICISM: in medieval times = laws prohibiting marriage under 12
• Postman (historically)


  printing press

  > adulthood based on “reading competence” (those who could read = adults, those who couldnt = children)

  > created an ‘information hierarchy’ = adults had knowledge kids couldn’t access
• Historical factor


  Changes since 19/20th century that have changed kids position: lower IMR, specialist health knowledge, laws banning child labour/protection laws, compulsory schooling 1880, industrialisation
• Social class factor


  experience of childhood differs on social class position

  > eg part time jobs, value on education, access to opportunities + toys
• Gender factor


  girls are expected to do more housework chores
• Hillman (gender)


  boys allowed more freedom than girls, expected to be more independent, allowed to go out at night alone
• ethnicity factor


  experience of childhood differs on ethnicity
• Brannen (ethnicity)


  Asian parents more likely to be stricter (especially towards daughters)
• Conflict view - inequalities remain between children

  
  

  > Hillman - gender - boys have more freedom

  > Howard - class - diet

  > Brannen - ethnicity - Asian parents strictness
• Smart (conflict view - new sociology of childhood)


  children are active agents in creating their own childhood

  > unstructured interviews with children experience in divorce

  > children made situation better - allowed to express POV, draws attention to fact that children lack power to adults
• Conflict view - inequalities remain between adults and children


  Adults exert control (times, space, bodies, access to resources)

  > Firestone - care + protection = oppression

  > Gittins - age patriarchy
• march of progress view


  childhood has improved (Aries), now better than ever

  families are increasingly child centered

  > Toy shops, Tv programmes
• Postman (future of childhood)


  Disappearing

  > decrease in info hierarchy > adults lose authority

  > adults + kids same tv, language, intro to sex younger

  > increase in juvenile offences

  > kids games disappearing
• Palmer (future of childhood)


  Disappearing

  > rapid tech change > ‘toxic childhood’ (junk food, increased exams, computer games)

  > kids deprived of genuine childhood

  > Uk = near top of league tables for obesity and SH
• Lee (future of childhood)


  Disappearing

  > kids getting more rights = becoming more complex
• Firestone (future of childhood)


  Disappearing (good!)

  > care and protecting are ways of controlling which is bad
• Hood-Williams (future of childhood)


  Disappearing

  > Pester power - kids seen as consumers by companies
• Opies (future of childhood)


  Not Disappearing

  > childhood still a distinct time and has its own culture

  eg. toys, books, nursery rhymes
• Pilcher (future of childhood)


  Not Disappearing

  > kids have the right to happiness when adults dont
• Postmodernist - Jenks (future of childhood)


  Not disappearing, just changing

  > relationships unstable = insecurity, but relationship with child is source of adults identity = parents more protective of childs security = separate status
• Globalisation of Western Childhood


  > international humanitarian/welfare agencies assume western norms of childhood in other countries

  > that country such activity may be the norm of the culture and important to prepare for adult life