Social Construction
Social construction – changes over place + time
Time
Aries (1962):
Childhood relatively recent invention
Pre-industrial times = small people, seen as mini-adults
Expected to take part in same work/activities as adults
Berger (1972):
Art historian, supports Aries
Young people wore same clothes
Adopted same facial expressions/mannerisms
Hendrick (1992):
Criticised Aries, data unreliable and unrepresentative
Poor could not afford to be painted shows only rich children, paintings only one interpretation
Pre-Industrial:
Children were an economic resource not emotional response
Lived of land, little education, all family lived/worked together, religious, rich/poor divide, children worked
Economic resource:
Children were workers of the family, coal mines and farming
Responsible for earning money, help buy food, clothes
Infant mortality rates high:
People have more children, in case some die
Lack of emotional attachment
Sent off to work as soon as possible
No laws to protect them
Worked 14 hours per day, 6 days a week
Industrial:
The Forster Act 1870 - free primary education
Factories Act 1878 - children under 10 not allowed to work in factories
Education compulsory 1880, ages 5-10
The Fisher Act 1918 - education compulsory until 14
Hood Williams:
Childhood now a set period
Modern Era:
Children stay in school until 16, 1973
Leaving age raised to 18, 2013
Childhood relatively recent invention
Pre-industrial times = small people, seen as mini-adults
Expected to take part in same work/activities as adults
Berger (1972):
Art historian, supports Aries
Young people wore same clothes
Adopted same facial expressions/mannerisms
Hendrick (1992):
Criticised Aries, data unreliable and unrepresentative
Poor could not afford to be painted shows only rich children, paintings only one interpretation
Pre-Industrial:
Children were an economic resource not emotional response
Lived of land, little education, all family lived/worked together, religious, rich/poor divide, children worked
Economic resource:
Children were workers of the family, coal mines and farming
Responsible for earning money, help buy food, clothes
Infant mortality rates high:
People have more children, in case some die
Lack of emotional attachment
Sent off to work as soon as possible
No laws to protect them
Worked 14 hours per day, 6 days a week
Industrial:
The Forster Act 1870 - free primary education
Factories Act 1878 - children under 10 not allowed to work in factories
Education compulsory 1880, ages 5-10
The Fisher Act 1918 - education compulsory until 14
Hood Williams:
Childhood now a set period
Modern Era:
Children stay in school until 16, 1973
Leaving age raised to 18, 2013
Place
11 million children die each year in developing countries
Africa:
120,000 in armed conflict
300 million go to bed hungry
2 million under 14 HIV positive
Orphans
High Infant Mortality Rate
Little/no education
Dirty water
Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research (2003):
Over 1/3 of world’s children suffer absolute poverty
Over 1/3 have to live in dwellings with more than 5 people
134 million children, 7-18, never been to school
Over 375 million using unsafe water
Many children live in countries affected by civil wars
Strengths: large sample size, reliable, representative
Africa:
120,000 in armed conflict
300 million go to bed hungry
2 million under 14 HIV positive
Orphans
High Infant Mortality Rate
Little/no education
Dirty water
Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research (2003):
Over 1/3 of world’s children suffer absolute poverty
Over 1/3 have to live in dwellings with more than 5 people
134 million children, 7-18, never been to school
Over 375 million using unsafe water
Many children live in countries affected by civil wars
Strengths: large sample size, reliable, representative
Changing Attitudes towards Childhood
Cunningham (2006):
19th century saw social construction of “childhood” as a defined role
Opposite of adulthood, seen in need of protection/dependent on adults, given right not to work
Adult and children’s worlds kept separate - children banned from adult places
Seen as having the right to happiness
20th Century:
Emergence of child-centred society, valued/loved/protected, focus on needs/wants
Due to:
Improved standards of living
Improved nutrition
Medical advances
Infant mortality rate dropped, parents more likely to invest emotionally
Contraception and abortion, choose to have fewer children, invest more
Child-centred culture:
Children are consumers, have own range of toys, food and books
Laws and policies to protect children
Own range of professionals to look after them
19th century saw social construction of “childhood” as a defined role
Opposite of adulthood, seen in need of protection/dependent on adults, given right not to work
Adult and children’s worlds kept separate - children banned from adult places
Seen as having the right to happiness
20th Century:
Emergence of child-centred society, valued/loved/protected, focus on needs/wants
Due to:
Improved standards of living
Improved nutrition
Medical advances
Infant mortality rate dropped, parents more likely to invest emotionally
Contraception and abortion, choose to have fewer children, invest more
Child-centred culture:
Children are consumers, have own range of toys, food and books
Laws and policies to protect children
Own range of professionals to look after them
Changing Laws
Schooling – “longer”:
1880, compulsory 5-10
1889, leaving age 12
1918, Fisher Act, leaving age 14
1972, leaving age 16
2013, leaving age 18
Child Protection Laws – “safer”:
Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act 1889 - restricted working hours
Children’s Act 1908 - incest state matter
Children’s Act 1989 - laws on fostering better
1880, compulsory 5-10
1889, leaving age 12
1918, Fisher Act, leaving age 14
1972, leaving age 16
2013, leaving age 18
Child Protection Laws – “safer”:
Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act 1889 - restricted working hours
Children’s Act 1908 - incest state matter
Children’s Act 1989 - laws on fostering better
Changing Experience
People work fewer hours, spend more time with children
Growth in child rights
Children have access to media/internet
Diana Gittens:
Decline in infant mortality rate, people invest more in each child, objects of fun
Hood Williams:
Believes children now “consumers” rather than “productive contributors”
Growth in child rights
Children have access to media/internet
Diana Gittens:
Decline in infant mortality rate, people invest more in each child, objects of fun
Hood Williams:
Believes children now “consumers” rather than “productive contributors”
Negatives of Childhood
Overprotection – less aware of “real world”
Increasing obesity, diabetes, mental health issues
Declining innocence
Bullying
Peer pressure
Sexual predators
Divorce + family conflict
Media:
Markets/advertises to children, have “pester power”, get parents to buy stuff
Unreal body images
Violence
News cause to lose faith in adults
Increasing obesity, diabetes, mental health issues
Declining innocence
Bullying
Peer pressure
Sexual predators
Divorce + family conflict
Media:
Markets/advertises to children, have “pester power”, get parents to buy stuff
Unreal body images
Violence
News cause to lose faith in adults
Future of Childhood
Positive view:
"March of progress” view – most lives improved, Western Society now child-centred
Negative view:
"Conflict view” – inequalities among children and between children and adults
Inequalities between children + adults:
“Child liberationism” - focuses on controls placed on children by adults:
Control over time and space
Where and who they can play with
Use of discipline
What they wear/eat
What are appropriate standards of behaviour
Criticised:
Children need to be guided
"March of progress” view – most lives improved, Western Society now child-centred
Negative view:
"Conflict view” – inequalities among children and between children and adults
Inequalities between children + adults:
“Child liberationism” - focuses on controls placed on children by adults:
Control over time and space
Where and who they can play with
Use of discipline
What they wear/eat
What are appropriate standards of behaviour
Criticised:
Children need to be guided