...Sociology Outline and explain two ways in which childhood could be considered socially constructed (10 Marks) Childhood can be easily considered socially constructed. Social construction is the way society shapes a person creating the ‘norms’ and ‘values’ of a person. In the U.K. children are split depending what social class they are. Usually there is three different classes, these are; Lower Class, this class is for people who don’t have much money and they can be in poverty. Next is Working Class, this is most of the U.K. population, they usually go out and do paid labour. Finally there is the Upper Class these are some of the richest people in the country most of the children in the Upper Class go to private schools, this means they have more opportunities to succeed as they can find work quicker. Meanwhile in places such as Tanzania many, if not all children are lower class and survive on the bare minimum and struggle to even attend a school because of social class where children in the lower class are treat like adults and have to do domestic labour for example going to get water from the river to survive. Time period can be considered socially constructed because children in the 21st Century have an easier life compared to children in the middle ages. This is because of the influx of technology makes it easier to live. A study done by a sociologist named Aires came to an accurate conclusion that childhood didn’t really exist in the middle ages because children didn’t...
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...Childhood itself is a slightly ambiguous term, and is not a fixed definite period of life. The book “AS level sociology” written by Rob webb, Hal Westergaard, Kieth Trobe and Liz Steel defines childhood as “ a socially defined age status” going on to say that there are major differences in how childhood is defined, both historically, and culturally, similarly, Stephen Wagg says of childhood; “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” This argues that it is not a natural state, but is socially defined. This however is not a universally accepted definition, for example modern law states that a 'child' is any person under the age of eighteen, so this means the period of childhood is 0-18 years, but the theory that childhood is socially constructed is one which is backed up by several sociologists, such as Phillipe Aries, who in “centuries of childhood” argues that in medieval society, childhood did not exist, but in fact it did not begin to appear until the fifteenth century. He argues that straight after the dependant stage of infancy, children were entered into the world of work immediately. His evidence for this argument lay in medieval paintings, as very frequently children were not portrayed as visibly different to adults...
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...Examine the effects of social change in the position of children Sociologists see childhood as socially constructed, this means they see it as something created and defined by society itself. They believe we can see the position that children occupy in society is not fixed but differs between different time, places and cultures by comparing the western idea of childhood today with the childhood in the past and in other societies. It is accepted in our society today that childhood is a special time of life and that children are different from adults. They are seen as physically and psychologically immature and not yet able to run their own lives. Jane Pilcher (1995) notes the most importance feature of the modern idea of childhood is separateness. Childhood is seen as a clear and distinct life stage and children in society occupy a different status from adults. However this view of childhood as a separate age status, children and adults being different, is not found in all societies. Stephan Wagg (1992) says “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”. This means that, while all human beings go through the same stages on physical development, different cultures construct or define this process differently. Ruth Benedict...
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...understanding of childhood can be divided by ideas of the agency, ability, qualities of children. Entering into the semester my ideas about childhood and children were largely informed by literary and cultural norms I had been exposed to, as well as my own experiences with young relatives. The popular belief that children are inherently innocent and vulnerable certainly has had a powerful influence on how I see and interact with children, but is now tempered in my mind by an understanding of how this conceptualisation has been constructed in my upbringing, education, class, race, and age. In my initial statement written early in the semester, I recorded my understanding of childhood as being the time from birth...
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...Is Childhood Disappearing? 2012 Brendan Dolman Sociology, Unit 3 5/1/2012 Abstract This is a report to look at the social construct of Childhood and whether it is disappearing. This report explores the history of childhood and current socio cultural influences on modern day childhood. Is Childhood disappearing? Introduction I am interested in this subject area because childhood is a social construct which seems to be diminishing from society. This is of particular interest to me because childhood as we know it has only been about for the last century but now it seems that it is once again diminishing from society. I say this because when looking at childhood from 50 years ago and comparing it to childhood today there is a huge difference. Today toys seem to be targeted at children of ages 1-10 years old but not for children above that age (Manhattan Institute for Policy Research). Children seem to be pushed into the spotlight of adult activities such as the fashion and glamour world in the case of beauty pageants (Daily Mail Online 2011). There also seems to be more of a focus on older children playing on computer consoles with violent games which depict realistic and gruesome actions. These computer games also depict real life situations such as the war in Afghanistan and give these older children the opportunity to play as a soldier in this scenario. Content What is childhood? Childhood is not to be confused with being a child, it is a completely different...
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...Journal Entry 1 The Jon Lewis passage from his book The Road to Romance and Ruin: Teen Films and Youth Culture focused on several aspects of the portrayal of teen culture in cinema. Initially summarizing the viewpoints of several authors of sociology and media on the relationship between cinema, youth and their relationship with one another, the article goes on to describe Lewis’ personal viewpoints on central themes common within most films about teens. A main focus of what seems to be standard for all teen portrayals is the idea that the separation between teens and adults, or “teen alienation” is the basis for the teen attitude of rebellion and general angst. This attitude comes from the teen’s inability to come to terms with the ending of an idealistic and easy childhood, and take on the challenges of adulthood. This concept is the general basis for most other cinematic themes in teen-based films, including those of Armageddon, suicide, homicide, and masculinity crisis. Each of these topics is portrayed with the attitude of apathy among teens; that the world and life itself is destined to end anyway, and that caring is futile. Films like these typically portray teens as unwilling to conform to the pressures of society and looming adulthood, and that their indifference often leads them down paths of destruction, for themselves and others. The classic 1955 film, Rebel Without a Cause, is the quintessential “teen struggle” film, displaying almost all themes discussed...
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...Every year, the number of incarcerations increases. With this, the number of families torn apart by imprisonment increases. In the U.S. alone, there are approximately 1.7 million children with an incarcerated parent, and roughly one in eight children will experience having a parent imprisoned at some point in their childhood (Reckman and Rothstein). With numbers like this, it obvious that the amount of children being left without a parent is a problem in the U.S. The effects that parental incarceration have on a child can last a lifetime or cause consequences for the child that are difficult to escape. As children are the future of the U.S., studying the effects of the parental incarceration on children is extremely necessary. Having to adapt...
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...Education and training Career opportunities and progression and employment opportunities Challenges Legislation And, choosing one particular career option, to make recommendations on the steps necessary to achieve employment in that chosen career.” 2. Method of Procedure 2.1Research was conducted on the internet 2.2 Prospectuses from third level colleges in Ireland and England were reviewed 2.3 Information seminars organised at the college were attended 2.4 2.5 3. Findings 3.1 Education and Training 3.1.1 Early Childhood Care & Education, Cork College of Commerce. Course Content Child Development 6N1942 Childhood Social Legal & Health Studies 6N1945 Early Childhood Curriculum 6N1944 Equality and Diversity in Childcare 6N1974 PERSONAL & Professional Development 6N1949 Special Needs Assisting 6N1957 Supervision in Early Childhood Care 6N1973 Work Experience 6N1946 Type of Certification: FETAC...
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...Advertise · [->14] · About Us [->15] · [->16] Child abuse on the rise, study shows By Kathryn Crandall[->17] contributing reporter Tuesday, October 9, 2012 · Share[->18] Tweet Discuss According to a recent study, child abuse is on the rise. Yale School of Medicine professor of pediatrics John Leventhal and Julie Gaither GRD ’14 have determined that cases of child abuse may have increased in the past decade. The results of their study, which was published in the November issue of the journal “Pediatrics,” show a 4.9 percent escalation in child abuse cases from 1997 to 2009. These results conflict with the data from an earlier study conducted by University of New Hampshire sociology professor David Finkelhor, which indicated a 55 percent decrease in instances of physical abuse of children in the United States from 1992 to 2009. Alice Forrester, executive director of the Clifford W. Beers Clinic child and family advocacy center, said she was “not surprised” by Leventhal’s results. Given the current state of the economy, Forrester said, many families face economic pressures, which can lead to yelling and domestic violence. The studies completed by Leventhal and Finkelhor differ in several ways, most notably in their data collection techniques. Finkelhor considered “substantiated cases of physical abuse” -— cases which have undergone legal review by...
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...Week 4 Assignment 1 Soc 100 July 29, 2012 In this paper I will be discussing the article “Study of delinquent, diverted, and high-risk adolescent girls: Implications for mental health intervention”. I will start by giving a brief summary of the article I have chosen. Followed by discussing the type of article this is and my conclusion I have drawn form the information found in this article. Lastly I will discuss how this article fits into our sociology class as well as how this article differs from non-scholarly periodicals The article begins by describing the issue of increasing numbers of adolescent girls being entered into our nation’s juvenile judicial system. The study aims to assess the most common risk factors that are affecting adolescent girls being entered into the juvenile judicial system. It also aims to find the effectiveness of the prevention factors in place to keep adolescents out of the system. For the study a survey was administered over the course of nine months to a hundred and fifty-nine adolescent girls. These adolescent girls were broken into three categories delinquent, diverted and high-risk. Delinquent girls are the girls that have been entered in the juvenile justice system in some form ranging from home care to a penitentiary. The diverted girls group consists of girls that have engaged in behaviors that have brought them to the attention of the juvenile justice system but instead of being entered into the judicial system were referred to some...
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...Title: Equality and Inclusion Assignment. Introduction “Children’s early years have been stressed as being fundamentally important to their future development and consequently to society as a whole”, (Early Years Framework, 2009). There are however multiple and diverse childhoods. This report will firstly examine legislation which has been introduced to reduce inequalities and promote social inclusion in relation to early childhood. The second section of this report will critically examine some of the sociological concepts pertaining to poverty, class, health inequalities and the harmful effects of stereotyping and prejudice. The report will also explore some of the factors that can influence and shape children’s identity and multiple identities. The third section of this report will discuss the effectiveness of government policy and how this is translated into practice. The final section will discuss practice which promotes equality and inclusion with reference to a placement task. In conclusion the report will discuss if current legislation, policy and practice is effective in demonstrating an inclusive approach. Legislation The Equality Act (2010) streamlines and strengthens the law and gives individuals greater protection from unfair discrimination and makes it easier for employers and companies to understand their responsibilities. It also sets a new standard for those who provide public services to treat everyone, with dignity and respect. There are nine protected...
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...juvenile court framework was done for guaranteeing that the youngsters were allowed to change and develop into dependable beings in the society. The initial step in determining any issue is to distinguish its reason or inception. Child crime occurs in most cases due to peer pressure, exciting activities, money, respect, urbanization and socio-economic factors. Lack of discipline is also a resultant of child delinquency. The study dwells on the notion that parents should indeed be held responsible for juvenile delinquency. Parents of youngsters are regularly accused of the delinquent conduct of their kids. In a few courts parents are punished for the unsociable behavior of their children. Scholars differ on the sorts of misconduct and childhood measurements that are explored, on how the builds are measured, and on the populaces from which the examples are drawn (Siegel, 2015). Juvenile court framework was built up in the late 1800's to guarantee that adolescents were given an alternative arrangement of the trial from the grown-up court framework. The juvenile court structure permits the child to change and turn into a productive individual in the society. Parents are substantially associated with the idea of protective risk aspect. Ideally from a...
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...Rite of Passage Paper Diane Beleau BSHS/342 7 May 2012 Joyce Mink Introduction Society today sets high expectations for an adolescent girl, this same society forces her to be faced with many social pressures and high demands. Adolescent girls at this age have to deal with the pressure to include the notion of having to look a certain way in order to be accepted by her peers. Adolescent girls also may feel pressure from peers to act older than she is in order to fit in with the “in” crowd. Girls have a lot of pressure from the media, such as TV shows and music videos to be sexy by a certain standard or to believe everyone is having premarital sex. This is a very confusing time in a young girl’s life. An adolescent girl is dealing with an increase in hormones, body changes, and her menstrual cycle. In this paper we will take a look at an adolescent girl who is going to attend her Junior/Senior prom. The prom is a modern rite of passage that thousands of kids experience every year. During prom all kids face many issues such as pressure to drink, have sex or even experiment with drugs. We will also explore the different solutions that a young girl can be given to handle these types of modern day pressures. Social Demands Facing Adolescent Girls Today There are so many social demands of teens nowadays with prom being significant for adolescents and apparently more so for adolescent girls. Prom is an influential occasion in a teenager’s high school livelihood—one...
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...the parent the children have residency with the majority of the time. If the parents are separated or divorced, children live with their parent and have visitation or secondary residence with their noncustodial parent. In western society in general, following separation, a child will end up with the primary caregiver, usually the mother, and a secondary caregiver, usually the father. History Single parenthood has been common historically due to high parental mortality rate (due to disease, wars and maternal mortality). Historical estimates indicate that in French, English, or Spanish villages in the 17th and 18th centuries at least one-third of children lost one of their parents during childhood; in 19th century...
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...information (including programme) p.11-18 Communication p.19 Advice and support p.19 1) Module team contact information: Module Leader: Sue Norman – Room 3S405 – Sue.Norman@uwe.ac.uk 0117 328 4251 Module tutor: Mandy Lee – Room 3S406 – Mandy.Lee@uwe.ac.uk – Tel 0117 328 4279 Module tutor: Sarah Whitehouse- Room 2S407- Sarah.Whitehouse@uwe.ac.uk Tel 0117 328 4178 2) Module specific information MODULE SPECIFICATION Part 1: Basic Data | Module Title | Children in society, past and present | Module Code | UTTGPT-30-1 | Level | 1 | Version | 1 | Owning Faculty | ACE | Field | Primary, Early Childhood and Education Studies | Contributes towards | BA Hons Early Childhood | UWE Credit Rating | 30 | ETCS Credit Rating | 15 | Module Type | Standard | Pre-requisites |...
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