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Social Construction On Childhood

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Social Construction On Childhood
Assess the view that the concept of childhood is socially constructed .
Social construction is an idea that something is not naturally on the way but is constructed and defined by society . Sociologists always argue that human behaviour , perception is constructed by the norms , values , belief within the society . This mean that different society may have different interpretation on something . For example , men wearing skirts in England is often seen as deviant behaviour , but it would not be in other society . ( Definition and intro)

Childhood is a stage that one develop in both physical and mental . Basically , it ranges from birth to adolescence. There is always question about whether the concept of childhood is natural or a product of social construction . Sociologist see childhood as socially constructed , something that is created and defined by society. They argue that what people mean by childhood is not fixed but is different between different times and places . (Definition and intro)

Childhood is socially constructed by social norms , values ,beliefs and culture . This can be prove by the different view and meaning on childhood in different times and different places . In our society , it is generally accepted that children are distinctly different from adults and that childhood is seen as a special time if life that should be protected from the adult world . There is an idea that children are still not capable to look after themselves so there must a period of childhood to nurture and socialize them . ( Modern western idea of childhood)
As Jane Pilcher(1995) , she state that the most important feature of the modern idea of childhood is separateness . It means that childhood and adulthood are very separate stages in life. For example , there are law that set out to regulate what children can and can’t do . In addition , the difference in adult and child also shown throw the clothes, and products that are specifically for children .( Modern western

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