The Sociology of Childhood by William Corsaro, Essay Example

The most widely spread models of studying childhood observed by Corsaro (7-18) are the determinist and constructivist approaches to sociological studies. The determinist model proponents consider a child as a passive participant of the society with dual roles – the one of a novice with the potential opportunities to alter and innovate the society and the one of a threat to the existing state of affairs. The constructivist model holds that children are both active participants and interested learners who shape the society in which they live, together with the future of the society.

Corsaro coins a new term of ‘interpretive reproduction’ to show the innovative view on the participation of children in the society. He means that children create something new, now solely reproduce what their parents or other adults teach them, acting in a unique way in their peer cultures (Corsaro 18). The trend is truly consistent in the contemporary studies of childhood and children because the role of children as inferior members of society is being reconsidered and reshaped nowadays; the theory may add much value and consideration for children’s actions in the process of learning and comprehending information.

The orb web model presupposes multiple influences to which a child is subject in the course of his or her development. However, Corsaro (25) states that besides institutions mentioned in the model children are exposed to the influence of peer cultures that are unique and innovative and cannot be passed on to junior children by older ones.

Childhood is socially constructed by children, from the point of view of Corsaro (3) because children are active, creative participants of the society in which they live; in addition, they form the future model of adult society – it is necessary to remember that children are future adults, and depending on the peer culture they ill create the adult culture will be altered accordingly.

Many changes influenced the formation of childhood in the context of the 20^th and the 21sr century. It is necessary to recollect such significant ones as the redefinition of families and re-adjustment of family roles (Corsaro 84). At the beginning of the 20^th century children were supposed to work from an early age to provide for the family, families were large (Corsaro 95). Nowadays families significantly reduced in size, there is a growing number of one-parent families, families with working mothers and adolescent families (Corsaro 95-100). All this cannot help influencing the childhood directly.

Studying childhood is possible with the application of the following approaches: macro-level methods (demographic studies, large-scale surveys, historical methods), micro-level methods (individual and group interviews, microscopic and holistic ethnography etc.) alongside with some non-traditional methods applied (Corsaro 46-55). Ethical considerations when exploring childhood involve institutional review board (IRB) implications, besides power and representation (Corsaro 56).

Philippe Aries was the first to examine the history of childhood in his work, which included the study of art, but had no extensive value because it only referred to the works studied and did not represent the visuals, thus limiting understanding of the subject considerably (Corsaro 48).

The main challenges in the peer cultures of preschool years that children face are to gain control over their own lives and to share that control with each other (Corsaro 134).

The period of socialization presupposes formation of gender roles and the formation of racial identity that cannot help affecting the child’s vision in future. (Corsaro 93). However, depending on how skillfully and tolerantly they are formed the child may mostly overcome the possible stereotypes.

10.Children try to deal with the conflicts that arise in their peer cultures by taking part in the various cultural routines thereof (Corsaro 160). Rituals are also a popular form of self-expression and eliminating uncertainty – this is a repetitive, cooperative expression of common values having much importance for those engaged in it (Corsaro 145).

Some characteristic features of preadolescent peer cultures are that they like to play organized games – in formal and informal settings (Corsaro 204). Besides, they create particular cultural artifacts to make their shared activities organized (Corsaro 209). Corsaro (201) also notes that preadolescent peer cultures are distinguished by autonomy and identity.

Borderwork is enacted as soon as sexual boundaries are stipulated. Then, adolescents start borderwork to differentiate between members of their groups and others. It concerns dominance of boys over girls much, and involve teasing, conflict and tension among the groups (Corsaro 215-223).

Corsaro (192-197) found out that the issues of popularity are centered around particular factors like family background, physical appearance, social skills, precocity or adult-like concerns and style, good academic records (for girls) and mostly good athletic form and dominance in the group (for boys). Racial considerations also play an important role due to stereotypes that are formed during socialization.

Carol Gilligan attributed much attention to moral and ethical aspects of feminine and masculine reasoning. In her opinion women are more guided by ethics than men, which won her many opponents, like Lawrence Kohlbergs who argued the ability of women to ethical considerations (Corsaro 198).

Changes in structure of families could not help leaving the trace on children’s development. In working families, children are left with much less attention, so they lose their childhood in the whole sense. They may also be urged to find a job, though a part-time one, to have their pocket money (Corsaro 100). However, these negative influences are not the dominant ones – contemporary children are heavily influenced by divorces and violence in families, which ruins them psychologically and makes them less willing to create families of their own (Corsaro 104-105).

Among problems described by Corsaro in Chapter 11 one has to pay particular attention to such issues as poverty and quality of children’s lives (this problem, seemingly not concerning the developed countries, is still a problem for every state), child labor, teen pregnancy and non-marital births (rising at an astounding rate in the 21^st century), as well as violence and victimization (Corsaro 251-275).

Works Cited

Corsaro, William. The Sociology of Childhood. Pine Forge Press, 2005.