Social construction of childhood
continued…
Historical differences in childhood
• This PowerPoint is to help review and revise the idea that childhood
changes over time. It will also look at why modern childhood came
about and the future of childhood.
• Childhood changes over different places, however it also differs
over time.
• Many sociologists and historians have examined changes in
childhood and many argue that childhood as we know it, is a
relatively recent phenomena.
Philippe Aries (1960)
• Philippe Aries is a historian and he argued that in the
middle ages, the ‘idea of childhood did not exist’.
• Children were weaned, however once they were passed
the stage of being physically dependent on the parents,
they were seen to be adults.
• Children began work at a very early age , they were
seen as ‘mini-adults’ with the same rights, duties and
skills as adults.
• For example – the law often made no distinction
between children and adults with children facing severe
punishments.
Philippe Aries continued…
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Aries looked at various evidence to illustrate his
points.
He used works of art from this period
In these paintings he argued that children
appeared without ‘any of the characteristics of
childhood’, they were simply shown on a
smaller scale.
These paintings showed children and adults
dressed in the same clothing and working and
playing together.
He argued that parts of the modern idea of
childhood came about after the 13th century.
Edward Shorter (1975) argued that parental
attitudes towards children was also very
different. He argued that high death rates
encouraged indifference and neglect. Often,
children were called ‘it’ or forgotten about.
Why did modern childhood come about?
• There are many reasons why the modern idea of
childhood came about. These are some of them…
Child protection
acts (1989
Children Act)
Laws that apply
specifically to
children i.e. Age
of consent is 16
Industrialisation –
society now needs an
educated workforce
Laws restricting
child labour
Reasons for the
development of modern
childhood
Development of
economic market
directed at childhood
Introduction of
compulsory
education
The future of childhood
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There is an argument that childhood as we know is disappearing. That the
distinction between adulthood and childhood is narrowing.
Neil Postman (1994) – He argues that childhood is ‘disappearing at a
dazzling speed’.
He looks at the trend towards giving children the same rights as adults, the
growing similarity of adult and children’s clothing and even cases of children
committing ‘adult crimes’ (murder, rape).
He suggests that in the middle ages most people were illiterate (can’t read
or write) so there wasn’t this mystery surrounding adulthood as children
could access it through speech.
Postman argues that childhood emerged along with mass literacy. This was
because the printed word created a division between those that could read
(adults) and those that couldn’t (children).
HOWEVER, he argues now that things like television and the internet blur
this separation and that children are now able to access the ‘adult world’.
He has been criticised for over-emphasising television as a cause for the
disappearance of childhood, whilst ignoring other factors like changes in the
law.