ASSESS SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF CHANGES IN THE STATUS OF CHILDHOOD

and neglect, especially towards infants. For example, it was not uncommon for parents to give a new born baby the name of a recently dead sibling, to refer to the baby as ‘it’, or to forget how many children they had.According to Aries modern notions of childhood began to emerge from the 13th century;Schools (which previously adults had also attended) came to specialise purely in the education of the young. This reflected the influence of the church, which increasingly saw children as fragile ‘creatures of God’ in need of discipline and protection from worldly evils. Also There was a growing distinction between children’s and adults’ clothing. Family life by the 19th century began to be more child-centered and children were the main focus of the society as a whole. Aries argues that we have moved from a world that did not see childhood as in anyway special, to a world that is obsessed with childhood. He describes the 2oth century as ‘the century of the child’. However some sociologists have criticized Aries for arguing that childhood did not exist in the past. Linda Pollock (1983)  argues that it is more correct to say that in the middle ages, society simply had a different notion (perception) of childhood from today’s.                              There is also a vast difference in childhood in various cultures. Cross cultural difference whereby different cultures have a different perception on childhood. Ruth Benedict (1934) argues that children in simpler, non-industrial societies are generally treated differently from modern western countries, for example, they take responsibility at an early age. Samantha Punch’s (2001) study of childhood in rural Bolivia found that, once children are about five years old, they are expected to take work responsibilities in the home and the community. Tasks are taken on without question or hesitation. The ‘march of progress’ view argues that, over the past few centuries, the position of childhood in western societies has been steadily improving. Sociologists such as Aries and Shorter hold a ‘march of progress’ view. They argue that today’s children are more valued, better cared for, protected and educated, enjoy better health care and have more rights than those of previous generations. For example, better health care and higher standards of living mean that babies have a much better chance of survival now than a century ago. In 1900 the infant mortality rate was 154 per 1000 live births.                           The march of progress sociologists argues that the family has become more child centered unlike in the Victorian times. Parents invest a great deal in their children emotionally, financially and often have high aspirations for them to have a better life and greater opportunities than they themselves have had.                          Conflict sociologists such as Marxists and feminists argue against the ‘March of progress’ view that the position of children has improved dramatically in a relatively short period of time. They argue that society is based on a conflict between different social groups such as social classes or genders. In this conflict, some groups have more power, status or wealth than others. Conflict sociologists see the relationship between groups as one domination and subordination, in which the dominant group act as oppressors. They also argue that the march of progress view of modern childhood is based on a false and idealized image that ignores important inequalities. They criticize the march of progress on two grounds,Firstly there are inequalities among children in terms of opportunities and risks they face: many today remain unprotected and badly cared for. For example, poor mothers are more likely to have low birth-weight babies, which in turn is linked to delayed physical and intellectual development.Secondly, the inequalities between children and adults are greater than ever: children today experience greater control, oppression and dependency, not greater care and protection. For example, neglect and abuse, control over children’s space etc.In relation to all this, Neil Postman (1994) argues that childhood is ‘disappearing at a dazzling speed’. He points to the trends towards giving children the same rights as adults, the growing similarity of adult and children’s clothing, and even to cases of children committing ‘adult’ crimes such as murder. On the other hand, unlike Postman Iona Opie (1993) argues that childhood is not disappearing. She argues that there is strong evidence of the continued existence of a separate children’s culture over many years. Her studies show that children can and do create their own independent culture separate from that of adults contradicting Postman’s claim that children’s own unsupervised games are dying out. Child liberationists argue that, far from disappearing, western notions of childhood are being globalised. International humanitarian and welfare agencies have exported and imposed on the rest of the world, western norms of what childhood should be- a separate life stage, based in the nuclear family and school, in which children are innocent, dependant and vulnerable and have no economic role.                         In conclusion, the evidence suggests the  ‘march of progress’ view that the status of childhood has improved is more stronger. Although certain conflict views are true to some extent, in terms of inequality, there is clearly a vital improvement in the status of children in the society in comparison to previous generations.