A History of the Sociology of Childhood

This book shows how the field of sociology of childhood has grown since the 1980s to the present and highlights the intellectual movements which fed into this young field. Berry Mayall draws on her own and other’s expert knowledge to focus on work in English from the US and UK, the Nordic countries and recently from Germany. Attention is given to some of the important recent developments in the social worlds of childhood, notably the implications of technological inventions for the experiences of childhood, and how globalization is altering the character of childhoods, and child-adult relations. This concise book gives a history of how the sociology of childhood has developed, contextualized in the history of sociology. It draws on the authors own experiences, considers a wide range of published documents and includes contributions on specific topics by some of the main players in the Jens Qvortrup, Priscilla Alderson, Liesbeth de Block and Virginia Morrow. A History of the Sociology of Childhood describes how this relatively new discipline evolved and considers its principal propositions. It looks back to the post-war period, notably in the US, and shows how sociological ideas about childhood arose from developmental psychology; how they began to be formulated to act in complement to psychological ideas and how some US psychologists began to explore variations in ideas about childhood in varying societies. It also explores the history of sociological ideas about childhood in both the UK and, most importantly, mainstream Europe and considers links between sociological and rights agendas. This book concludes with consideration of the latest developments in this field such as globalization and media studies; work in other languages, such as French and Portuguese and gives an account of work emerging in the majority world and its relevance for theoretical developments. It is essential reading for university students on all varieties of childhood courses. It contextualizes this field within theory and provides a clear picture of the constituents of the discipline. It is also relevant to those working within psychological paradigms but with an interest in considering alternative and complementary approaches. This concise book gives a history of how the sociology of childhood has developed, contextualised in the history of sociology. It draws on the author's own experiences, considers a wide range of published documents and includes contributions on specific topics by some of the main players in the field: Jens Qvortrup, Priscilla Alderson, Liesbeth de Block and Virginia Morrow. The book describes how this relatively new discipline evolved and considers its principal propositions. It looks back to the post-war period, notably in the USA, and shows how sociological ideas about childhood arose from developmental psychology; how they began to be formulated to act in complement to psychological ideas and how some US psychologists began to explore variations in ideas about childhood in varying societies. It also explores the history of sociological ideas about childhood in both the UK and, most importantly, mainstream Europe and considers links between sociological and rights agendas. This book concludes with consideration of the latest developments in this field such as globalisation and media studies; work in other languages, such as French and Portuguese and gives an account of work emerging in the majority world and its relevance for theoretical developments. It is essential reading for university students on all varieties of childhood courses. It contextualises this field within theory and provides a clear picture of the constituents of the discipline. It is also relevant to those working within psychological paradigms but with an interest in considering alternative and complementary approaches. Cover 1 Contents 8 Acknowledgements 9 About the author 10 A History of the Sociology of Childhood 12 References 50