Week Two: Historical Perspectives: The Changing Matrix of Modern Socialization

Readings

1. The Making of Children's Culture.
2. Wonderous Innocence; Print Advertising and the Origin of Permissive Childreadring in the U.S.
3. Seduction of the Innocent.

During week two, considerable emphasis was placed on the historical perspective of childhood and the shifting dynamic of socialization amongst this age group. The article by Stephen Kline "The making of children's culture" mirrors the topics and issues raised in lecture by discussing the historical events that are critical when discussing and mapping children as an independent group, worthy of study. Kline suggests that institutions such as schools, churchs and literature offer and act as a place of socialization and dictate discourse. Kline also highlights the key terms that are relevent to this weeks lecture. By defining childhood; socialization; children's culture; children; and childrearing, allow one to understand in a clear light what is being discussed. However, these definitions do limit the way in which children can be expressed and explained. The most notable aspect of the Kline reading is his use of non-ethnocentric historical data. By encorporating and providing ideas and events in a comparison format broadens the scope of the study. Mentioning the medieval imagery, feudal worldview contrasts and contemporary concern builds upon the previous readings that lay the foundation for this course as a whole. I enjoyed how the reading began in the 1800's and made its way to the mid twentieth century. However, is the discussion of television that is most exciting. Television and children go hand in hand, the effects of such a progressive technological tool have been studied since its inception to history and will continue to be. The notable ways in which advertisers use this tool as a vehicle for moving their messages and targeting children is critical to the study of communication and children. Television changed the way parents also parented their children. As in tutorial the exercise on family oral history opened the doors to parenting styles that other students experience. The complexity of raising a child can be seen in the answers of each and every parent. Sometimes the most informative information comes from grandparents that witnessed their children raising their grandchildren and the conflict, issues and rewards of such an event can be seen. For me, listening to the stories my mother shares and the stories from the relatives, especially my grandparents are rewarding to say the least. Parenting has always been a topic that i am compassionate about. I believe that raising a child is one if not the most important thing in life, it is not something that should be taken for granted. Children can be seen as tabula rosa, exciting to begin colouring in the pages. Television and the shifting economic environments of today's society effect the ways in which parents do raise their children. For families who both parents work it can be overwhelming to regulate the amount and kinds of programmes their children watch. Television advertising is also a major concern, as Kline suggests in his article the "historical phenomenon that has made it easy to see how marketing became such a major force within the contemporary 'funnel' of childhood."(74)

When compared to Lynn Spigels discussion of parenting, she states that "television increased parental dilemmas because it undermined their domination over the kinds of knowledge that their children might acquire."(120) Popular media has such a powerful hold on the minds, beliefs and decisions of parents. The use of the media to sell parenting ideas is no new idea, Dr.Spock is a good example of mass-parenting styles made possible through the mass media. Technology has always been seen as a sign of progress, and the television definitly falls into this category. However, with any new technological tool it is important to realize and note the possible side-effects it may have on society. Children, parenting and television are some of the themes that need investigation.

Key Terms based on Lecture Material:

Children: demographic, rights and developmental status.

Childrearing: familial beliefs, rules, practices - ie family relations as a system of communication

Children’s culture: stories, games created by children and transmitted through their peer interactions

Childhood - constructed in representations, discourses and ideologies

Socialization - institutional frameworks (law, schools, spaces and movements)

Children’s cultural industries - cultural commodities produced for children

Each article for this weeks readings covered the idea of childhood, the major theme for this weeks discussion. Childhood according to lecture, tutorial and reading discussion is the major discourse of analysis. The creation of such a term during the enlightenment allowed for children to experience growth and development. Laws, social policy before children were considered a unique group meant that children were taken advantage of and objectified. It is worth questioning... what would life be like today, if children were not given the rights to be children?