Childhood

Postmodern Childhood

Conflict theory of childhood

New Sociology

Child-Centeredness
Philip Aires (1960)
. Childhood is a modern invention

  • Childhood did not exist in the middle ages (10th -13th centuries)
  • Childhood was not separated from adulthood
    High death rates led to indifference - new-born's would replace dead siblings
    . Used artwork from the period to draw these conclusions
  • 'Childhood' only comes into existence 13th century onwards
    .Church promoted the idea they were fragile creatures
  • 17th century develpoed 'age appropriate' clothing
  • 18th century develoed chilfbearing books
    . Society has become child-centred
  • The world is obsessed with childhood

Childhood as a social construction

March of progress

Cross Cultural

Historical

Smart (2011) - children create their own childhoods, meaning that multiple childhood exist in society, like the poor childhoods, adopted childhoods or boarding childhoods etc. Children get involved in the divorce process of parents.

Mason & Tipper (2008) - children create their own definitions of who family is.

Mayall (2004) - seeing childhood as a social construction means children have no control over their identities and development. And that children are seen as socialisation projects for adults.

This view is held by;
. Liberal Feminists
. Functionalists
. New Right

Mause (1974) - children's position in society is improving over time and are in a better position now than they were 300 years ago.
. Now have legal protection from things like child labour, abuse as well as having access to education and healthcare.
. Family is now child-centred, with their being smaller family sizes and the focal point and are consulted about decisions.
. Parents have high aspirations for their children.

The see society as being in constant conflict; Marxist/ feminists.
And argue the march of progress view ignores inequalities in childhood

Western Constructs of childhood

. Childhood is special and differs from adulthood

  • children are psychologically immature
  • children lack knowledge, skills and experience
  • they need a lengthy period of protection, nurturing and socialisation

Pilcher (1995)
. Western societies emphasise the separateness from adulthood
-children have different freedoms, clothes, entertainment etc
. Childhood is seen as a 'golden age'

  • children are innocent, ignorent and need protection from the outside world.

Sociologists have contrasted three cross-cultural differences;

  1. children take responsibility from an early age
  • Punch (2005) - In Bolivia children are expected to take work responsibilities at 5 years old
  1. children do not have to show obedience to adult authority
    Firth (1974) - children in Tikopia are not expected to obey the adult
  2. children's sexual behaviour is viewed differently
    child marriage

Case Study: Kony 2012 campaign
. Joseph Kony was the leader of the 'Lords Resistance Army' (LRA) in Uganda
. Kony claimed he's the spokes person for God and wanted to turn Uganda into a theocracy.
. He ordered the kidnapping of 2 million children and turned them into soldiers.

What childhood means depends on the time period, the country or the cultures they are raised in.

  • Childhood in the 19th century is different to childhood in the 21st century.
  • Childhood in the UK is different to childhood in Uganda.
  • Childhood in a WC household is different to a MC household.
    childhood is not fixed it is a constantly changing idea

Globalisation of Western Childhood

Social Constructs - is a concept that does not exist in reality, but has been created and constructed by society

  • Social constructs depend on interpretation and change over time and space.
  • A social construct is different from something which is natural or biological.
  • A social construct is something which depends upon definitions which are relative and subjective.
    . Examples: class, gender, age, crime and deviance

. Globalisation has allowed for the exportation of western definitions of childhood;

  • Childhood is separate, dependent, vulnerable and based on the nuclear family.
    . Western campaigns now reflect western ideas of childhood
  • International humanitarian groups
  • welfare agencies
    Criticisms
  • Other notions of childhood may be important in different cultures
  • Campaigns have had little impact in changing the position of children in developing nations.

Inequalities amongst children - children have different status and experiences. With there also being a gender difference between children.
Hillman (1993) found that boys are more likely to be able to cross the roads, cycle on them, use busses or go out after dark. Whereas...
Bonke (1999) found that girls do more domestic labour.
There are also ethnic differences, Brannen found that Asian parents were more likely to be strict towards their daughters.
Bhatti (1999) found that the ideas of family honour, could be a restriction mostly for girls' behaviour, culture as well.

Age patriarchy - Gittins (1998) uses 'age patriarchy' to describe inequalities between children and adults, like feminists, use the concept of patriarchy to describe male domination and female dependency. And also argues that 'age patriarchy literally means ' rule by father' and family was oringinally refferred to as the power of the head over all other members of the household, this power ma assert itself in the form of violence. Humphrey's and Thiara (2002) found that a quarter of 200 women left their abusive partners as they feared for their children's lives.

Inequalities between children and adults - Power inequalities, the march of progress argue that adults use it for the benefit of protection. Firestone (1979) and Holt (1974) argue that the things that see as protection and care are in fact new forms of oppression and control.

Jenks (2005)
. Children receive more surveillance from adults in postmodern families

  • Adult life is now unstable and insecure - divorce, unemployment, relationships etc
  • Adults are then fearful of children's protection in this uncertain world
    This leads to increased monitoring of the child's whereabouts and behaviours
  • Childhood is not disappearing - it is still separate

Toxic Childhood

Palmer (2007; 2010)
Technological change has damaged children's physical, psychological and emotional development
. Parent's long working hours have led to inadequate socialsation

  • Junk food, social media, online games and intensice marketing
    . Emphasis on school testing has led to increased pressures.