Little Miss Curious About Children Media & Culture

Week Twelve: McDisneyfication: Globalization, Immigration, and Cultural Diversity

2005-03-31T12:42:00.000-08:00

The final week of postings!
During this week topics of interest included:

Globalization--
McDisneyfication--
Cultural Diversity--
McDonaldization--

The article "Doraemon Goes Abroad" by Shiraishi looks at each of these themes in his article. The article is about the Japanese Character Doraemon and his quest for gloabl attention. The mass merchandizing of the cartoon comic as a cultural export is of concern. The way children from different cultures understand these products is insightful to their reception and use value. Globalization plays a role because the breakdown of boundaries is created and messed it. This raises the question of how do children from the culture of the product react when they see it in another culture and the ways in which it was altered? Again marketers see the potential for success in a global economy and mass market the products. This domain of childhood is becoming eroded as more advertisers take over their intended use and create cross-promotion toys. According to the author, these Japanese comics are helping disseminate the discourse of childhood and Japanesse culture, globally.

According to the encyclopedia Wikipedia the following terms are defined as such":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia

McDisneyfication is the concern that one way of life is dominating the way in which children learn to play and think. There is a need to broaden the horizons with different themese and images of childhood.

McDonaldization

McDonaldization is the process by which a society takes on the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant. The term was coined by George Ritzer, who wrote the book The McDonaldization of Society. McDonaldization is an extension of rationalization, or moving from traditional to rational modes of thought, and scientific management.
Ritzer highlighted four primary components of McDonaldization:
Efficiency - the optimal method for accomplishing a task
Calculability - objective should be quantifiable (i.e. sales) rather than subjective (i.e. taste)
Predictability - standardized and uniform services
Control - standardized and uniform employees
It can also refer to the replacement of traditional restaurants with McDonald's.

Globalization

Globalization is a term used to describe the changes in societies and the world economy that are the result of dramatically increased trade and cultural exchange. In specifically economic contexts, it refers almost exclusively to the effects of trade, particularly trade liberalization or "free trade".
Between 1910 and 1950, a series of political and economic upheavals dramatically reduced the volume and importance of international trade flows. In the post-World War II environment, fostered by international economic institutions and rebuilding programs, international trade dramatically expanded. With the 1970s, the effects of this trade became increasingly visible, both in terms of the benefits and the disruptive effects.

Overall, this course was informative and opened my mind to the issues and concerns children face and educators need to address. However, this served as an introductory class and it would be interesting to continue the search for understanding children, media and culture in the future.

Week Eleven: Mediated Boy Culture: Violence, Imagination and Identification

2005-03-24T20:53:00.000-08:00

Week eleven investigated the role of boys in a consumer society. The breakdown of boys as a cohort is interesting especially when compared to girl culture. Some of the issues associated with boy-culture are masculininty, violence, socialization and agression.

"The Unesco Global Study on Media Violence" which focused on five major issues to be addressed they included:

Which role do the media, and in particular TV, Play in the lives of children on a global level?
Wh are children fascinated by media violence?
What is the relationship between media violence and agression behaviour among children?
Are there cultural as well as gender differnces in the media impact on aggression?
How do violent environments (war/crime) on the one hand and the state of technological development on the other influence the coping with aggressive media content?

Some highlights from the investigation include the following answers:

TV has become a mjor socialization factor and dominates the life of children in urban and electrified rural areas of the globe.
By are fascinated by aggressive media heros.
Half of the children report that they are anxious most most of the time or often. Media heros are used for escapism and compensation of the children's actual problems.
Many children are surrounded by an environment where "real" and media experiences both support the view that violence is natural.
The impact of media violence can primarily be explained through the fact that aggressive behavior is rewarded.

Their conclusions state:

Media violence is universal. It is presented in a rewarding context.
Media violence can satisfy different needs. For boys, it creates a freame , of reference for 'attractive role models'.
Cultural differences exist and do play a role in the social construction of reality.
The sheer amount of violence is a cause of concern.
The 'normality' and 'reward characteristics' of aggression are more systematically promoted than non-aggressive ways of coping with one's life.

The article concludes by stating the children are continuously searching for role models and socialization from friends and family. In cases when they can not get these needs fulfilled they turn to movies and television and seek out role models. The social and economic factors are important to the success of any growing child.

The only limitation i have found with this weeks readings are the emphasis of violence in terms of analysing boys. I think that researchers should consider issues of body image the thoughts boys have. Due to the bombardment of social ideals and stigmas it would be interesting to study feminine males and understand the thoughts and situations they deal with on a daily basis. By feminine males i mean, less masculine, obesessed with sports and the 'stereotypical male.' This choice of words does not imply any negative connotation.

The article "Distress and delight: Children's experience of Horror" interviews children and looks at the ways in which children understand violence. Provided an insightful look at some of the thoughts children experience when watching such films.

Overall, the readings for this week approached the topic at different angles and highlighted the fact that boys are affected by images of aggression and violence.

The comparison of boys and girls is important and a major component to the study of children. The ways in which each gender is approached and interrelated with each other is also notable.

However, my only weakness was my (documented) absence from lecture and the inability to encorporate Kline's discussions and analysis into this journal log.

Week Ten: Mediated Girl Culture: The Barbie Factor and Sexual Object-ions

2005-03-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

This weeks focus was on marketer's influence on children aged 12 and under. Children have become suseptable to advertisers persuasion power and can be seen as vilnerable. In tutorial we were asked to reflect back to our childhood memories and see the techniques and tools we used to persuade and influence our family to buy certain products.

As a child when i wanted something, i knew that i had to go straight to my dad and not my mom inorder to get what i wanted. My dad wanted to give us anything that we wanted and needed, probably because as a child he did not have the ability to get the things he wanted. My mom however, believed in working for goods. She believed that we should do chores or save our own money and buy the things we wanted.

The article entitled "Betwixt and Be Tween" looks at the subject of tweens as a marketers dream. The power of the female tween age group can be seen in advertisments, television programs and entertainment. Hillary Duff, Lindsay Lohan and other teen actors have sold their image to these young girls and boys who are looking to find a piece of themselves. Hillary Duff for example, who is an actor also sings and has sold out concert stadiums. A tween is considered a kid between the age of 7 to 14. The tween is an aged-based category used to discribe children and marketing. The study of 'girl-culture' will reveal the girls socialize more and discuss current event topics such as celebrity, style, toys and accessories. The power that these girls have to shape discourse amongst their friends is powerful and insightful. However the questions that raise discussion include a variety of concerns. Such as are the images presented in advertisements, videos, movies and such relay thoughts about how girls should be and look like. Many girls want to grow up sooner than they should, "the buyer is elaborating a commercial persona-in a sense, constructing a 'consumer self'- of the subteen girl, a construction that performs the cultural work of personifying a market realtion by giving a face and personality to a market category."(Cook et al.)
Barbie is a subject that is often related to girls progress and construction of identity. Barbie is said to be a sterotype image of the perfect women and researchers want to know the effects this has on young girls.

"Barbie was just suppose to be a teenage girl or adult who had a nice figure..

It's all gotten way out of line. It angers me. It was really just meant to be children projecting themeselves when they get older. Teenage situations, career things. It was very innocent."

Daughter of Ruth Handler defending Barbie.

http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/

Other issues that look at branding, clothing, identity, playing dress up, socialization etc. are some of the concerns highlighted by the article "Doing and Undoing: The Everyday Experience of Subject-ivity." These articles each highlight the importance of understanding or at least learning about children's culture and the complexities of each. Because girl culture is always changing and shifting along with society it can be hard to understand how girls are feeling today. The need for investigation is clear and will always be an issue of concern for these children are our futures.

Week Nine: The Canute Complex: Commericalization of Schools

2005-03-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

This week's topic continued the debates and issues of researching the controversies of children and the media. In tutorial we were asked to reflect on the rights and research ethics of children according to the UN convention. Having attended the consumer literacy group pilot project meeting, i was unable to listen and contribute to the discussions in tutorial.
Based on the readings for this week, my ideas and thoughts are as followed.
The first article by Heather-jane Robertson "Hyenas at the Oasis: Corporate Marketing to Captive Students looks at the peril of control corporations have on 'resource-hungry' schools.
The article begins with her attendance at at marketing show that is selling the ideal of marketing to children within the school system. The clear message suggested by the marketers is as followed, "we are told that children represent three markets...they control enviable amounts of disposable income...kids influence approximately $1 trillion of their parents's spending...children are consumers -in-training, imprinting constantly as they prepare to take their place as full adults."(18) As marketers realize that children are one of the most important target makrkets and do everything they can to achieve this by pleasing their captivated market. Marketers must fulfill their needs while fulfilling their own. The author goes through different examples of companies and resources that use children to make a profit. Her concern is woven through the article as well.
The article that i found interesting was "Captive Audiences" by Juliet Schor.
It is alarming to think that in public institutions that strive to foster creative and individual thought, such as Education systems, that advertisers have been welcomed into the classrooms with arms wide open. Advertising as social communication has the ability to convert and distort the minds of students with propaganda programming that children are forced to watch. As advertisers quickly realized children are a valuable market and the possibility to target them from within social institutions should be taken advantage of as soon as the possibility arose. With programs such as “Channel One” in the United States, advertisers offer schools necessary resources such as computers and televisions as long as the ensure the 10 minute promotional messages be delivered to the children. Corporate influence in the school system ranges in reason. Coke, Pepsi and other branded snack foods have been in the schools for many years and with recent debates regarding advertising in the schools, fact is they are there to stay. Schore notes that "schools are selling ad space on buses and stadium walls, even inside school buildings and classrooms."(89) Channel One is a mandatory daily viewing of advertisments and propaganda. As Schor suggests, "from the beginning Channel One has been controversial, teachers, parents' groups and conservative religious organizations have opposed the practice of forcing kids to watch." When i think about the positive aspects this program can have on children it is actually hard to image what they are. THe only possible conclusion would be that students need the technological tools such as computers, audio-visual devices and other necessities. Because government funding is being reduced teachers have less access to simple things such as paper. The sadest part of Channel One is the involvement of the military in the programming. Another sad factor is that corporations write the curriculum, if we are just feeding the lies and ideas of money hungry corporations why even bother sending children to school. Why not just make them go straight to work so they can please corporations, PR firms and such and start feeding into the consumerist cycle at an earlier age. Yes, these rants are particularly exaggerated and distorted and mellowdramatic. The question remains, when will consumers wake up and realize that we are living a lie based on the images and propaganda of advertisements for corporations and begin to questions our future as a united community of citizens and not as consumers. The children are our future and if we continue to let corporations dictate them how life is suppose to be lead, we will definitly have a consumption problem in the future. Which is scary when today's society is already at a level of uncertainty.
http://adstandards.com/en/clearance/childrencode.asp

Week Eight: Marketing Lifecycles-Whose Rocking the Cradle?

2005-03-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

Week 8 Exercise:
Discretionary Spending: Reflect back on your own childhood consumer behaviour. How much allowance were you given and how did you spend it. What were the major influences on your choices (friends, advertising, parents etc.)
Spending among children is such an interesting topic. Children have a significant amont of power and influence in the purchasing world. As a child i did not receive an allowance on a weekly basis but i would get change or lunch money from my paretns when i asked or if they did not make us a lunch. My parents gave me a lot as a child and i am thankful but always wished that they had set up an allowance system where i would have had to have worked for my money, such as doing chores etc. As a child i was not one to save my money but spend every last penny possible and the things i would buy...why? Looking back i can say i was a frivolous spender if i saw something and i liked it i would buy it. Not thinking about the uses or benifits of a product. Not that most children comprehend these ideas but i should have been aware as teenager at least. Children's consumption patterns are of concern in this weeks lecture and readings.
The reading "The development of a child into a consumer" by Valkenburg and Cantor looks at the role advertisers, marketers and children play in the event of consuming. The economic factor is important to this study and evidence of this can be seen in each of the articles read. The aspect of this article that was refreshing was how the authors divided the sections of this paper to discuss the age groups. They notes that children"have considerable amounts of money to spend on needs and wants of their own"(1) and that children are the future markets of tomorrow. Also, the dynamic of childs brand loyalty.The first age group, birth to 2, examines feelings of wants and preferences. Children according to this article, have preferences to smells, colours, objects, sounds and images and their behavior can be altered due to these things. children, experience "their own wants and preferences, whihc is an important characteristic of consumer behavior, they cannot yet be considered as true, goal-directed consumers."Age 2-5, preschoolers, experience nagging and negotiating during this period. Children at this age have difficulty distinguishing reality from fantasy. They believe what they see is the truth. They believe that the messages and images from TV, such as commercials are true. Their cognitive abilities, in psychological terms, is not fully developed and children do not know the reality of many situations. As well, centration is notes as a negative affect on the reality of children. It is defined as the tendency to center attention on an individual, striking feature of an object or image, to the exclusion of others, less striking features. The supermarket effect is described as well, "when they see an attractive toy or snack, they center their attention on the desirable aspects of the stimulus and have great difficulty resisting it."(205) This explains why young children throw fits at grocery stores and how these 'scenes' decress as children grow into the next phase.The third group aged 5-8, early elementary school looks at adverture and the first purchase. The characteristics of each age group do blend into one another. At this station children begin to realize the falsities of television programs and commericals. At this age group children begin to make independent purchases and as consumers they grow. The final age group examined, 8-12, looks at issues of conformity and fastidiousness. Peer pressure is a factor in this age group, altering the minds and decisions of children. Children become critical of what they see and what they are told, especially from television. Children look for the informative and detailed section of products, they want to know the functions and uses of such tools.The need for research on children's consumption habits is needed from a parent and educator based, too much research is done by marketers. Children as an interest group is intriguing especially when they are consumers.

Week Seven: Digital Domesticity and technified 'Spielraum'

2005-02-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

During the seventh week, we focused on the role of digital delights in children's lives. The exercise for tutorial asked to look at Playdium arcades and the internet as areas of entertainment for kids. There is no lack in choice for children in terms of entertainment. Many children have access to the internet and computers either in their homes or in their schools and this allows them to reach beyond the limits and boundaries of convential entertainment. Online sites use different means to captivating the child audience. Sites such as Barbie, use visual, audio and hooking aspects. By hooking i mean, asking children to give their names and email addresses so that Barbie can send birthday wishes for example and other things, causing the child to form a bond with the site.
The Video game industry is huge, it is a billion dollar industry that is continully growing. Originating in the arcade and spawning into the hand held portable world of gaming, children and adults have the ability to play video games in a multitude of settings. The issues that video games create are do children become more agressive when playing games. What are the skills that children learn? What are the positive and negative effects of video games and children?
Craig Anderson answers some of these questions in "Violent Video Games and Agressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior." Anderson provides a background analysis of the video game industry noting that the violence quotent in games has exploded. Violence use to involve 'shooting' object and aliens. Nintendo's Super Mario Brothers game a favorite among many, was not as violent as games today. The premise involved jumping, running and climbing over objects to get to the end of the level to advance. Anderson notes that access to games is easier even though rating systems are in place. Often parents do not realize what games their children are renting or buying. Parents do in fact need to pay more attention and become involved in the purchase of video game products. Changes in personality, aggressive behavior are concerns parents must face. Exposure needs to be monitored in order to secure that children do not become over exposed to violence.
Stephen Kline and Greig de Peuter critique video gaming in "Video Gaming and Postmodern Childhood." They investigate the cause and effects that children experience when watching video games. They note that video gaming is a masculine symbol where imagery and virtual empowerment meet. The issue of normalacy is raised often neglected in the discourse. The message presented to children is one of confusion and over-sensation. Youth culture is bombarded with advertisements selling products and it is no doubt the reason for childens obsession with video games. The influence to achieve aspects of life unattainable in the real world appeal to children. Kline and de Peuter look at the male gamer as an address of concern. The role of marketers, Gaming companies is important when understanding the way in which children fall for such messages and beliefs.
Video games give a sensationalized way of reality for children and they need to be able to distinguish reality from the hyper-real. Becuase there are no consequences for video game killings, it is important to inform children that consequences in the real world do exist.
Again, it is vital for parents to be involved in the actions of their children and monitor what their children play and watch.

2005-02-19T22:23:00.000-08:00

Curious

Week Six: Television:Modernization in Translation

2005-02-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

Week six looked at Children's television programs and the altering dynamic and shift in what children watch. In tutorial our assignment was to wake up early and watch Saturday morning cartoons. Oh and how they have changed!! As a child i was not one to watch cartoons but prefered to watch TGIF on friday evenings. I remember saturday mornings as the day i looked forward to most, it was the day we got to go shopping as a family at the mall. My brother who is six years younger than me would be glued to the television watching his favorite show, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As we attempted to leave the house he would throw a fit, saying he was staying at home, alone to watch TV. The only way we could get him to leave the house willingly was to tell him we would buy him a TMNT action figure. Looking back at those saturday morning trials and tribulations, it is obvious that my parents, myself and my siblings were (and still ar) sucked into the world of consumerism. Children's television programs have dramatically changed since i was a kid. Growing up during the 80s when the classic shows were on, makes me feel privledged! Notable shows included:My Little Pony; Captain Planet; Shera and Heman and Care Bears. Most of these shows still exist, but the use of technology has allowed for programs to become much more advanced than simple animation.
This week's readings went into depth regarding the issue of children's television programs. The article by Marsha Kinder, "Ranging with Power on the Fox Kids Network: Or, Where on earth is Children's Educational Television" tackles many issues.
First, the article evaluates the debates regarding the laws and controversy involving children's advocacy groups, governement and the broadcast industry. 1990, proved to be an important year for the passage of 'the Children's Television Act.' This act, "regulated the amount of broadcast time during the children's block that can be devoted to commericals, in addition to requiring all stations to serve "the educatinal and informational needs of children."(178) However the concern over the semantics of educational and informational as terms, left many undecided. With on going discourse, 1996 was the year that the FCC put forth new guidelines "requiring stations to broadcast a minimum of three hours per week of educational programming for children under the age of sixteen."(178) There is still a need for educational programming amongst the clutter of animation and product-placement shows children watch. Kinder explains the four ideas she believes are the foundation of Fox's children's network, citing morphing; cross-referencing as displacement; serial imitation as concrete representability; and programming override as secondary revision.(201) The author concludes that children are learing to read images against a broader cultural field and the cruical role that television plays in teaching them how this system works.
Issues of regulation, educational television and the effects of TV on the minds, decisions and behavior of children are the main themes expressed in lecture, tutorial and especially the readings. "Developmental Implications of Commercial Broadcasters' Education Offerings by Jordan, SChmitt and Woodard investigate these core themes. The regulation of television is an important success, espcially the CTA of 1990 and the guidelines set out in 1996. Children's programming does in fact reach children on an emotional level and these concerns needed to be addressed. Therefore, the programs children watch need to have at least the option of an educational viewpoint, providing an alternative from the violent and cluttered shows. Television shows do have the potential to reach the minds of children and influence their behavior in a positive light. TV can aid the literacy of children by raising reading and writing skills from certain programs such as Sesame St and Ghostwriter. As well, "television has been found to contribute to the development of children's prosocial skills-such as honest, perserverance, and cooperation-as well."(147) Violence in television is of concern to both parents and educators. Television, however does have a downfall, it does present a homogenious representation of images and ideas. Children need diversity to foster creative and accurate representations of society and culture. Overall, this article presented the major concerns for children's television programs and the need for current regulations to evolve with time.

Week Five: Play, Toys, Playgrounds, Games, Sports

2005-02-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

This week play is the central theme investigated. In tutorial the exercise regarding game play asked us to reflect back to our own personal favorite games and explain the rules, social dynamics and quality of fun of the game. Since play is a way children socialize, games can range in members, time and space. One of my favorite games as a child was playing 'store' with my sister in her room. We would spend hours setting up the store and laying each and every product out for the 'shoppers' to buy. I would be the cashier and my sister was the shopper. However, after literally spending hours setting up I would tell my sister after 10 minutes of play, that i didn't want to play anymore and it was her turn to clean up!! I did this EVERYTIME! After a while she realized how i behaved and continues to this day to hold it against me. This scenerio of innocent child's play, however, represents the strong reality that consumerism plays in children's moments of role play. We live in a society obsessed with products, consuming and materialism. Children learn to accept these 'false needs' and 'ideals' at a young age. Little did i know that i would actually end up being a real-life cashier who consistently wishes she could stop 'playing' / 'working!'
Another 'play' memory from childhood, involves a production put on by my elementary school in Calgary. Each and every year, we would have sports day where a theme was choosen and the entire school would participate. The best parts included the different tasks or stations each group would have to achieve. This period of socialization and imagination was a significant moment because the entire school came together to play and even the teachers were part of the event.
The reading, "Double Dutch and Double Cameras" by Ann Richman Beresin was unfortunately one of my least favorite readings. The paper looked at the "complex world of double dutch jump rope"..."game reveals complex, overlapping cultural worlds, and that if we can attune our eyes to the game beyoung the baisc game text, that the potential meaning of such study goes beyond the collection of interesting rhymes."(75) The premise of her article is to compare skipping with other urban school yard activities, but the article falls short. Her analysis is boring and the relevancy is lack-luster. Beresin does raise the signifance of corporate sponsors on the playground. The example she uses is that of McDonald's which is a national sponsor of double dutch competitions since the 70s. The role that corporations play is important when discussing children and childhood because it represents the hold they have on shaping the minds of children. Beresin related this idea of sponsorship and skipping songs, such as the Big Mac song. Honestly i really did not like this article i found it frustrating and difficult to read.
The second article, by Stig Hjarvard, "From Bricks to Bytes: The Mediatization of a Global Toy Industry" compares and contrasts toys of yesturday and today. Toys of yesturday were material, made out solid material and the toys of today are immaterial nature. The use of computers and video games as toys shifts the way researchers understand the idea of play. The mention of George Ritzer is important for he is a valuable source in the field of communications and sociology. His analysis of consumption means that it has been revolutionized, leading to 'hyper consumption.' Each of the articles look at the significance of economy, environment and socialization in terms of kids consumption and play.

Week Four: Story-Telling in Transition: Books, Literacy and Literature

2005-02-03T17:26:00.000-08:00

Week four began the second section of this course, children's cultural industries. The focus of lecture, readings and tutorial was on story-telling in transition; books, literacy and literature. The article "Wanda Gag's Americanization of the Grimms' Fairy Tales" by Jack Zipes looks at the dynamic of fairy tales, in particular the Grimms' tales. This article was insightful for it provided a historical background of the publishing sector of the marketplace during the early Twentieth century. The increase in bookstores and department stores made it possible for stores to open sections dedicated to children's literature. As well, public libraries were hiring those specialized in children's lit and creating children sections. The role in which editors, writers, librarians and acedemics had on childrens literature was a vital component to understanding children, as raised by Zipes. Together these influential contributors helped share the material that would be created for children as a market. Many at this time, felt that the European literature such as Grimms' Fairy tales were too pagan like and would be detrimental to the ever evolving childs mind. Zipes notes that "they fought hard for the acceptance of proper fairy tales...a 'progressive' movement seeking to 'reform' the tales' reputations and to demonstrate that they were not dangerous fro the psyche of the American child."(84) It was Disney that reconceptualized many of the tales, an Americanization of sorts. The 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which many critics believe foster an american mentality. Where the distortion of beauty and ideals is raised, Disney realized the desires and demands of the American population of consumers and used these dreams to sell his films and stories. Wanda Gag represents the concern for maintaining a prestige in literature for the North American reader. She believed in the importance of not "writing down" to children, she celebrated the intelligence of such readers. Gag was actually revolutionizing literture as a whole, shifting the ideology that dominated children's literature. This article brings awareness to the concern of how children understand and negotiate their surroundings. The way in which children place themselves in society is a major concern to those interested in children as a cohort.
The second article, ""No Matter how Small" The Democratic imagination of Dr. Seuss"was written by Henry Jenkins. This article focuses on the perspectives that Seuss highlights through his stories for children. Seuss is such an influential author of childrens books, books such as "Oh the Places you'll go" are read at graduations to signify the steps and stages a child makes into the adult world. In the article, the author notes that Seuss focus on 'small' characters to "represent an appeal to children who feel overwhelmed by the adutl world and need to find their own voices."(253) Seuss, a politically minded man, used his children stories to express his beliefs and ideas. "This essay focuses on Seuss's transition from war-time propaganda to post-war children's fabels, a transition which parallels the emergence of this post-war discourse of "democratic" parenting."(255) Similar themes from both readings suggest that family is a major component of children's lives. Overall, Seuss searched for a more democratic children's culture, which he believed began in the home.
Tutorial proved to be another exciting point within this course. The task of finding old childhood books created nestalgia. Some of my favourite books are those that my elementary school teachers would read to the class. Most notable was "The Witches" by Roald Dahl one of the best literary authors during my childhood if not of all time. My grade four teacher would sit the entire class down on the carpet and read the book to us. Each day she would become the witch character in the novel, one day adding the gloves, the next day the mole and finally the witch nose. In the end it was one of the best experiences of my school childhood. Having had a reading disability as a child, this teacher made reading fun! As well, she would give students books for special occassions such as Christmas, Birthdays and year end partings. When we shared the books that each student brought in tutorial allowed me to remember those books that i had forgotten about. Books such as Amelia Badellia and The Substatue Teacher, books that i had read in school and enjoyed but lost recollection of. This was a very valuable tutorial assignment and would recommend for future use.

Week Three: Theoretical Departures: A Crisis in the Postmodern Family?

2005-01-27T13:16:00.000-08:00

Week three was by far the most exciting and informative lecture. This week's lecture highlighted the themes of shifting dynamics of childhood in the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century; family life; crisis of the modern childhood and media's role in social change.
Most importantly however, was the viewing of the film"Home Alone."http://www.foxhome.com/homealone/index_frames.html
The video about Kevin McAlister being left home alone is more than a tale of childhood mythology but one that looks at indepth issues that affect society as a whole. First, the movie uncovers the conflict between individules, such as sibilings. Contemporary families when compared to predesors, are often labelled as dysfunctional. The McAlisers would be considered a dysfunctional family mostly due to the fact they left their eight year old child home alone. However, there are many reasons for the shift in famiy life. In economical terms, many parents feel the financial strains of the economic conditions of today such as inflation, taxes and the cost of raising a child. These are a few of the things that make it difficult to have only one parent serving as the bread winner.
The reading by Joe L. Kincheloe however, offers an enflated representation regarding the crisis of childhood. His concern for latchkey children, children with only one parent and even children of families whos parents are not married are of great concern to the author. It is important to study contemporary children and analyse the social conditions that shape family life but it is equally important to approach with an open mind. The author discusses child abondonment in the article, citing the Kevin's mother who calls herself a bad mother, Kincheloe states "social neglect of children has become so commonplace that it could be presented as a comedic motif without raising too many eyebrows. There was a time when childhood was accorded protected status-but that time is growing obsolete, as safety nets disintegrate and child-suports crumble."(34) It is in this statement that i would have to disagree with the opinions of the author, yes marketers are use neglect as the basis of the film which is considered comedic but it does raise concern. I am sure that anyone who has seen the film would be horrified or at least concerned with such actions. In current news, a women in Ontario left her 24month of child home alone to go dancing and returned to find that her baby had died. I believe that everyone that is aware of such an incident would not pass this off but would realize the social implications of the reality of such events. It is here that i believe parenting is a major component and privledge that not all should posesss. There is a need for increased safety nets and child-support but i do not believe that this has completely eroded.
The author also raises the major theme in his article that "after World War II Americans began to realize that childhood was becoming a phases of life distincly separate from adulthood."(35) This idea is overlapped in both the readings and the lecture notes, certifying that this is a major component to the study of children, media and audience.
The reality is children are in fact growing up faster, we live in a period of technological progress that is speeding up the events in a childs life. There is more information being exerted into the minds and lives of these children, whether it be to remember their school notes, make basketball practise or remember codes. The computer has shifted the way in which childhood can be experienced, children learn how to use a computer and even type at an earlier time than their parents. Often children are so versed in technology that they surpass their parents in the knowledge, accesibility and utility of computers. The theme presented here is that children are just as intelligent as adults, Kevin has blurred the generation gap.
This movie also raised the point that children are innocent and honest. Children are free of conflict and bias. Within the video, Kevin learns to adapt on his own terms and when dealing witht he burglars he does his best to become the hero. He realizes the dynamic of power and the legitamacy he holds in such a situation. I suppose Kevin is a postmodern child!
Overall Kincheloe's article does raises certain concerns regarding childhood and the breakdown of traditional roles. However, his viewpoints do stretch at points and he attempts to make statements that are a little sensational and exaggerated.
The second article by Henry Jenkins "Childhood Innocence and Other Modern Myths" looks at the myth of childhood innocence and the emptiness of child as its own political agency. Jenkins raises the point that society see's children as a utopian group, removed from the realities of sexuality, war, conflict and distress. While Jenkins does raise issues such as identity, the value of childhood and children's culture this article again serves as a basis for future readings.
In tutorial, the exercise asked to analyze our family as a system of cultural regualtion indentifying the riles, rituals, and restrictuions on leisure and cultural cosumption. These exercises proved to more informative than once assumed. As a child my parents would buy us toys and things that we wanted if we behaved or worked at achieving them. Listening to the other students allowed for a comparison and contrast model of thought to develop regarding the consumer patterns of parents and children. My parents both stressed the importance of extra-curricular activities and the importance of school yet do not limit the intake of goods we were allowed. It is clear that children are consistently being targeted by marketers and parernts need to be aware of the ways in which advertisers attack their children and conform their minds, beliefs and opinions. For these children are the future and need to be aware of the implications of over-consumption, such as the environmental and financial implications.

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

2005-01-20T22:12:00.000-08:00

Readings

The Making of Children's Culture.
Wonderous Innocence; Print Advertising and the Origin of Permissive Childreadring in the U.S.
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?

Week One: Introduction-Childhood, socialistic, Consumer Culture.

2005-01-13T21:47:00.000-08:00

~Readings~

The Making of Children's Culture.
Introduction: No More Secrets- Kinderculture, Information Saturation, and the Postmodern Childhood.
The Changing World of Children's Consumption.

The goal of this Blog is not to act as a collection of summaries about the articles, but to serve as a resource page that incorporates all the major themes, ideas, authors that contribute to the study of children, media and audiences. It will encompass of critique of readings, lectures and films from class.

The first article by Stephen Kline entitled The Sovereignty of Consumerism: Children in the age of marketing provides a valuable comparison through its use of representation. The article focuses on the marketplace as an arena of ideas, discourse and consumption. Opening with the description of Adam Smiths invisible hand. The ideas of Adam Smith are important when understanding the way in which it influences patterns of consumption. This article is an excellent stepping-stone for starting this class off by highlighting the important and key figures in the field of communication as well as in a cross-disciplinary aspect. Adam Smiths idea of the invisible hand may have been a valuable mold in the time it was created but in contemporary culture the idea has its limitations. Smith believed that consumers will be sovereign because their choice determines what will be produced for that market and that an invisible hand of market competition will ensure that these self-serving individual choices ultimately will be a benefit to us all in the form of endless growth in the economy.(2) Smith also raised the idea of consumer sovereignty and markets rationality where he believed that consumers would be rational and informed in their decisions, where competition would be real and where merchants persuasions would have little influence on consumer choice. (2) Kline then goes on to discuss the social limits of the market where he raises a good critique when he suggests how Smith would think in todays circumstances. It is hard to image what Adam Smith would have to say about the contemporary market, where so many of the goods are either cultural products (movies, TV programs, art, books) or have a social value (prestige, power, style, personal identity, ceremonial display) related to their ownership and use.(3) When reading Klines comparison and evaluation of Smiths contribution to the economic structure as a whole, it leaves me to question how well Canada is doing to preserve and welcome Canadian content with Hollywood as big as it is. The breakdown of national boundaries makes it difficult for different ideas to expand in a monoculture that is taking over. Kline also highlights the social analysis of consumption by including the work of Thorstein Veblens conspicuous consumption. Understanding the use-value and effects of leisure are important to the way in which children are targeted as a market. Kline also includes the work of John Kenneth Galbraith; his work on affluence recognized the growth of marketing communications effect on social value and the assumption of market autonomy.(6) Most important though is the idea raised about contemporary cultures reliance on credit cards and loans to buy products not of necessity but of signs of social status. Impulse buying and wasteful products questions the consumers values and work ethics they hold during this shifting period of morals and necessity. Kline also incorporates the work of Anthropologist Marshall Sahlins, who studied cultures and their use of tokens and signs, clearly an essential component to the study of communications. Kline explains the voice of the market by providing a historical account and concluding our beliefs that consumption is the best way to achieve success, happiness and well-being.(11) Kline explains the consumers relationship with goods, learning behavior, modeling parents as key factors that contribute to the patters of spending we hold. He then goes on to discuss the matrix of socialization: from staples to toys, where he states that schools, family and friends are the main agencies of socialization. Overall this article provides many valuable sources based on the authors mentioned. Kline discusses the ways in which children are being marketed to and some of the key figures that contribute to the ideas that are being used to discuss children in the age of marketing.

Key Terms:

Adam Smith& The Invisible Hand

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Smith

Consumer Sovereignty

Globalization

Thorstein Veblen & Conspicuous Consumption

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspicuous_consumption

John Kenneth Galbraith

Marshall Sahlins

Sut Jhally

http://www.sutjhally.com/

Neil Postman

The second article by Steinberg and Kincheloe, No more secrets-Kinder culture, information saturation and the postmodern childhood focuses on the idea that children are growing up in a time different from their parents and awareness is needed to understand the effects it will have on a vulnerable demographic: children. The authors note that childhood is a period of social and historical significance and the mapping of such times is critical more than for biographical purposes. The authors emphasize that children are an important field that must be analyzed separately than that of adulthood. First, the authors breakdown childhood as a Social Construction by looking at the historical account of childhood beginning in the 1850s to 1950s. Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget are notable figures in psychology who have spent considerable time working with children and learning the patterns and complexities of this group of cohorts. The contemporary crisis of childhood looks at how changing economic realities affect the way and world in which children are being raised. In their summary of the film Halloween, they make gross generalizations taken from the pages of sensationalized and over hyped media representation. Some of the main points raised by the authors are how to control corporations that are revolutionizing childhood. The main thesis of this article is the need for continued research, analysis and discourse regarding the study of children and the ways in which consumption and advertising affect the choices, decisions and thoughts children conceive of.

The third article "The Changing World of Children's Consumption" by Juliet Schor examines kid culture and the commercialization of childhood brought about through marketing. Schor one the better authors presented in this weeks readings offered an indepth analysis of companies role in establishing child market segments and the money corporations pour into research. Some of the key terms presented by Schor include: The marketing Juggernaut; the explosion of youth spending; Kid-fluence; and Bonded to Brands. When discussing the marketing of the Juggernaut, it is described as the role in which corporations use advertisers to learn more about the youth culture. Companies are looking to "create an experience so engaging that the consumer won't have another option but to pay attention to it."(21) This idea is similar to cool-hunting, where market researchers similar to social-anthrologists go out in search of the new cool amongst children in the community. However, it is important to note that children are aware of the excessive use of force marketers use to gain their attention. Youth spenders are a major market in North America and according to the figures in the article the numbers are alarming, increasing 400 percent. Some factors include children shopping at an earlier age, which has lead to a shift in the retail environment. The 'tween' category carries much weight in the consumer world. One of the most interesting areas is that of "kid-fluence" which is the influence children have over their parents purchasing decisions. From personal experience, children are very powerful in terms of pursuading their children. Based on observations when working in retail, children will use any means necessary to beg, plea, and force their parents to buy them goods, regardless if they are a necessity! Schor lists shifts in parenting styles as an explanation as to why children have more purchasing power, but in a personal light I believe that parents fall into three categories, laissez-faire, authoritarian, dictatorship. Age and ethnicity also play a role as well. The marketing of food to children is an area where kid-fluence especially comes into play. Children are move versed in product knowledge and 'hot' products in comparison with their parents, this may be due to the amount of ads children see and the volume of images they are bombarded with. The final section of concern is 'bonded to brands,' Schor explains the children are in fact loyal to brands. And not just any brand, usually those that are expensive and sell the perception of a particular lifestyle. As Naomi Klein mentions in her book, "No Logo" brands such as Tommy Hilfiger are "promoting...THE CONCEPT of living the American dream."(Klein, 77) The fact that marketers are selling the concept of a dream is quite shocking, children however do not realize this and fall into the marketers traps. Overall, this article offered many insightful explanations and viewpoints.

The central theme of this weeks reading and lecture notes looked at the crisis of postmodern culture. The debates within each article expressed by the authors share their viewpoints regarding the historical contributions (the social and economic aspects) that serve as an analyise of the discourse of children, media and consumption habits. Children are suceptable to inhibitions of false needs, parents, advertising and friends are factors that contribute to such occurances. Often parents draw upon their own personal, 'mis-haves' or 'have nots' from their own childhood. As this week was an introduction the discourse, the readings were quiet intense and informative that presented as the foundation for future weeks.