Sociologist Theory/ Topic Key findings
Pilcher Western notion Separateness- clear and distinct life stage, children have a different status to adults. Childhood is a ‘golden age’ of happiness
(1995) of childhood as children’s lives are largely in the sphere of the family and education, meaning they are innocent and protected.
N/A Cultural Punch (2001)- Bolivia: Once children were five years old, they were expected to take on work responsibilities.
differences in Holms (91974) - Samoan village: ‘too young was never given as a reason for not permitting a child to undertake a certain task.
childhood Firth (1970)- less value was placed on children showing obedience to adult authority as it wasn’t seen as a right to be expected
by the adult, rather a concession granted by the child.
Benedict – non-industrial cultures there is less divide which shows that childhood is neither fixed nor universal.
Aries (1960) Historical Used secondary resources, paintings of childhood, letters, diaries and other documents. Concluded that in the middle ages
differences in childhood as a separate life-stage was short. After being weaned children entered wider society and were treated as adults
childhood or ‘mini-adults’ and had the same rights, duties and skills as them.
13th century: schools began to specialise in the education of the young (because of the church’s influence).
17th century: distinction between children’s and adults clothing.
18th century: handbooks on childbearing were widely available, a sign of growing child-centredness of family life.
20th century: ‘cult of childhood’, world is obsessed with childhood.
Shorter Evidence for 1. Artwork- children depicted same as adults.
(1975) historical 2. Different attitudes due to high death rates- common to give a child the same name as a dead baby.
differences in 3. Common to forget how many children you had- neglected children because they would die anyway.
childhood
N/A Reasons for 1. Laws restricting child labour and exclusion from the workplace (economic assets to dependent)
changes in the 2. Introduction of compulsory schooling (1880)
position of 3. Child protection and welfare legislation (1889 prevention of Cruelty to Children Act, 1989 Children Act)
children 4. Growing in children’s rights
5. Declining family size and lower infant mortality rates
6. Children’s development becomes focus of medical knowledge (e.g. child development)
7. Laws and policies applied to children (e.g. restricted ages, reinforces divide)
Postman The future of Childhood is disappearing. Children are getting the same rights as adults, children’s traditional unsupervised games are
(1994) childhood disappearing, children’s and adults clothing is becoming similar, and children are committing ‘adult’ crimes e.g. murder.
This is because print culture has been replaced by TV. During the middle ages, most people were illiterate, so this print
culture created an information hierarchy. Therefore, children are no longer innocent of issues of death, sex and violence, as
we are moving from a printed world to a TV world.
Pilcher Western notion Separateness- clear and distinct life stage, children have a different status to adults. Childhood is a ‘golden age’ of happiness
(1995) of childhood as children’s lives are largely in the sphere of the family and education, meaning they are innocent and protected.
N/A Cultural Punch (2001)- Bolivia: Once children were five years old, they were expected to take on work responsibilities.
differences in Holms (91974) - Samoan village: ‘too young was never given as a reason for not permitting a child to undertake a certain task.
childhood Firth (1970)- less value was placed on children showing obedience to adult authority as it wasn’t seen as a right to be expected
by the adult, rather a concession granted by the child.
Benedict – non-industrial cultures there is less divide which shows that childhood is neither fixed nor universal.
Aries (1960) Historical Used secondary resources, paintings of childhood, letters, diaries and other documents. Concluded that in the middle ages
differences in childhood as a separate life-stage was short. After being weaned children entered wider society and were treated as adults
childhood or ‘mini-adults’ and had the same rights, duties and skills as them.
13th century: schools began to specialise in the education of the young (because of the church’s influence).
17th century: distinction between children’s and adults clothing.
18th century: handbooks on childbearing were widely available, a sign of growing child-centredness of family life.
20th century: ‘cult of childhood’, world is obsessed with childhood.
Shorter Evidence for 1. Artwork- children depicted same as adults.
(1975) historical 2. Different attitudes due to high death rates- common to give a child the same name as a dead baby.
differences in 3. Common to forget how many children you had- neglected children because they would die anyway.
childhood
N/A Reasons for 1. Laws restricting child labour and exclusion from the workplace (economic assets to dependent)
changes in the 2. Introduction of compulsory schooling (1880)
position of 3. Child protection and welfare legislation (1889 prevention of Cruelty to Children Act, 1989 Children Act)
children 4. Growing in children’s rights
5. Declining family size and lower infant mortality rates
6. Children’s development becomes focus of medical knowledge (e.g. child development)
7. Laws and policies applied to children (e.g. restricted ages, reinforces divide)
Postman The future of Childhood is disappearing. Children are getting the same rights as adults, children’s traditional unsupervised games are
(1994) childhood disappearing, children’s and adults clothing is becoming similar, and children are committing ‘adult’ crimes e.g. murder.
This is because print culture has been replaced by TV. During the middle ages, most people were illiterate, so this print
culture created an information hierarchy. Therefore, children are no longer innocent of issues of death, sex and violence, as
we are moving from a printed world to a TV world.
