AS SOCIOLOGYCHILDHOOD

BY THE SESSION YOU WILL BE ABLE TO:- Explain what is meant by ‘childhood as

a social construct’ Outline the historical and cross cultural

differences in childhood Evaluate the different Sociological

Perspectives on Childhood

TO START…. Produce a mind map of all the things

you associate with childhood

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CHILDHOOD AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT What is a social construct?

Something which is ‘made’ or ‘constructed’ by society.

Sociologists argue that childhood is not fixed, it differs between, time, place and culture.

STEPHEN WAGG (92) “Childhood is socially constructed.

It is, in other words, what members of particular societies, at particular times and in particular places say it is. There is no single universal childhood experienced by all. So childhood isn’t “natural” and should be distinguished from mere biological immaturity.”

ACTIVITY 1 In pairs come up with some examples of

how you think childhood may differ across, time, place and culture.

ACTIVITY 2 With your partner make a list of all the

ways in which we distinguish adults and children in modern UK society

CROSS CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

Ruth Benedict argues that children in non-industrial societies are generally treated differently from children in the industrialised west in three key ways:

1. They take responsibility at an early age.

2. Less value placed on children showing obedience to adult authority.

3. Children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed very differently.

HISTORICAL DIFFERENCES Aries (1960) argues that in the middle

ages childhood simply did not exist. Childhood as a separate stage was very

short, soon after weaning the child was very much on the same terms as an adult, beginning to work from an early age, children were ‘mini adults.’

Aries used works of art from period as evidence where children were depicted in the same way as adults – only smaller!

Shorter (1975) also argues that parental attitudes were very different in the middle ages, he sais that high death rates amongst children led to indifference and neglect.

It was not uncommon for people to forget how many children they had, call a new infant the same name as a dead sibling or refer to a baby as ‘it.’

ARIES AND THE MODERN NOTION OF CHILDHOOD Schools started to specialise in the

education of the young. Growing distinction between children’s and

adults clothing. By the C17th an upper class boy would wear clothes reserved for his age group.

By the C18th handbooks on childrearing became widely available.

There was increasing child-centredness amongst the middle classes.

Aries says that we now have a modern “cult of childhood.”

REASONS FOR THE CHANGES IN POSITION OF CHILDREN Activity 3

What changes have occurred in society in order for childhood to become a ‘Separate and distinct’ life stage?

Laws restricting child labour

Economic asset to economic liability

Education Child Protection The

Children’s Act (1989)

Children’s Rights – UN Convention on Rights of the Child (1989)

EXAM QUESTIONSuggest 3 ways in which childhood has become a ‘specially protected’ time of life. (6)

Now peer assess…

Laws come into force protecting children

People have children for different reasons, not economic asset any longer, nurture and care for them

Children are not allowed to work they now go to school

Agencies which protect children that didn’t exist in the past

MOP VIEW – HELD BY ARIES, SHORTER AND DE MAUSE The position of children has been steadily

improving and today it is better than it has ever been.

Lloyd De Mause (1974)

‘The history of childhood from which we have only recently begun to awaken. The further back in history one goes, the lower the level of childcare and the more likely children are to be killed, beaten, terrorised and sexually abused.’

THE CONFLICT VIEW Marxists and feminists dispute the view

held by MOP Sociologists

There are inequalities amongst children The inequalities between adults and

children are greater than ever – they experience greater control, oppression and dependency

IN YOUR GROUPS… Come up with examples for your given

topic and state the impact on the child

1. Inequalities between children2. Control over children’s space3. Control over children’s time4. Control over children’s bodies5. Control over children’s access to

resources

AGE PATRIARCHY - GITTENS (1998) Term to describe the inequalities

between adults and children, just as the term is used to describe oppression of women against men.

‘Ruled by the father’

IS CHILDHOOD DISAPPEARING? Postman (1994) argues that childhood is

now disappearing The distinction between adults and

children is now blurred

Activity 4 – provide examples

Similarities between children

and adults

Disappearance of

childhood games

Growing similarity in

clothing

Children committing adult crimes

Television culture

Books, games

A SEPARATE CHILDHOOD CULTUREIona Opie;

Believes unlike Postman, there is a strong existence of childhood, children create their own independence separate from adults.

THE GLOBALISATION OF CHILDHOOD International humanitarian agencies

who help ‘vulnerable’ children

The west decides that these children are mal-treated

TOXIC CHILDHOOD Sue Palmer

Childhood has become ‘toxic’

In what ways has it become toxic?