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Summary Children and childhood
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Aqa a level sociology families and households summary notes for children and childhood.
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Childhood as a Social Hillman et al completed a study called ‘One Katz’s study on childhoodFalse Move’, exploring the travel patterns and
Construction Katz’s longitudinal, ethnographic study
personal responsibility of school children aged
examines children’s lives in a Sudanese village
Childhood is known as a social construction: 7 to 15. The findings discovered that these
and working-class families in Harlem, New York.
the meaning varies over time and differs movements were reducing, suggesting that
Katz discovered that, despite the apparent
between cultures. childhood is being extended due to parental
disparate experiences, similarities could be
concerns over safety.
Childhood changing through history. drawn between the two cultures in a changing,
Jens Bonke capitalist environment. The low-skilled young
Historically, children from working-class families people faced poor job prospects, having
were employed from an early age whilst the Jens Bonke studied children’s housework, looking
experienced limited education.
children of wealthy families experienced for any differences in contributions between girls
something more akin to what we now class as and boys. Results show that boys contributed less Judith Ennew
‘childhood’. It is therefore important to recognise towards household chores than girls, especially in
that the definition of childhood is not universal in lone-parent families where they contribute five Judith Ennew argues that some children’s
time or place. However, Gittins argues that times more than their male counterparts. This experiences of childhood are very different from
children today have different experiences of suggests that gender and class are both factors at those living in the western world. She found wide
childhood depending on their class, gender and play. variations in terms of factors such as work, living
ethnic origin. conditions and sexual exploitation.
Perceptions of Childhood Across
Children in Pakistan/Bangladesh
Cultures The March of Progress
According to the ONS, in February 2020,
Perception of childhood varies widely across Many sociologists argue that the position of
children raised in Pakistani and Bangladeshi
the world in relation to different cultures. children in contemporary society is vastly
homes were more likely to live in low-income
households (2.8 and 2.4 times improved from what it was in the past, while
Western vs developing societies
respectively). Children in Pakistani and other sociologists argue that it has worsened.
Bangldeshi homes were also more likely to Typically, Western societies have a prolonged
period of childhood in relation to other cultures,
Changing positions
experience material deprivation than their
perpetuating the concept that it is a social Many sociologists argue that the position of
white counterparts.
construct. In developing countries in particular,
children in contemporary society is vastly
Brannen and Bhatti the luxury of a period of childhood can be entirely
improved from what it was in the past, while
absent with transition to adulthood happening
Julia Brannen’s study revealed that almost immediately. This can be as a result of other sociologists argue that it has
children of Asian origin are more likely to working from an early age in industrial or worsened. Sociologists, like Postman, insist that
make their beds and complete household agricultural industries or in some cases, as child advertising and sexualisation have led to the
chores. Asian girls with mothers in full-time soldiers. disappearance of childhood.
employment were also likely to perform Wagg & Punch Functionalist consensus
tasks involving caring for the family as well
as themselves on top of household Conversely, children in western societies are Functionalists argue that society is adapting in a
chores. Brannen and Bhatti also found largely protected by legislation and often ‘march of progress’ towards a more harmonious
encounter a more privileged experience altogether society that functions to the benefit of all. They
that girls were under stricter parental
through a child-centric approach. Wagg supports believe that introduction of compulsory education
controls than their brothers.
this ideology, arguing that everyone’s experience and the move towards a more child-centred
Statham and Owens etc of childhood is different as it is a social construct.
approach is an improvement in what came
Samantha Punch’s study of children growing up
Statham and Owens argue that there are
in rural Bolivia found that their academic before.
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