Influential child historians Philippe Aries

Influential child historians Philippe Aries

1. Philippe Aries

   • childhood as a social construction
     • childhood as distinct part of life emerged in 15th century when modern understanding of childhood began to develop
       • 17th century saw ideas about special nature of childhood gain ground
         • emergence of child specific items
           • culminated in birth of child centred family
   • once a child could walk and talk in the middle ages it entred adulthood
   • based claims on analysis of European art of middle ages and early modern period - claimed in them children depicted as small adults
     • child rearing characterised as indifferent to babies, due to high infant mortality rates
       • emotional investment in children started at age 7
   • creation of modern idea of childhood
     • emergence of the affective family where family members enjoyed each others comapny
     • rise of the bourgoise. Aries believed that modern concept of family and childhood took root in those who were wll off

2. criticisms of aries

   • His reliance on paintings is problematic because works of art are not prodiced in a social and political vacum
     • they were designed to represent social and economic positioning so not an accurate representation of what life was like for all children
   • reliance on paintings meant he ignored other sources of info about children such as scientific and medical books about childhood illness which documented they differed from adult illnesses
   • legal systems of the period set out ages of criminal responsibility which indicates childhood was indeed seen as seperate
   • linda Pollock challenged his assumption of parental indifference in the middle ages
     • first hand accounts prove that parents lourned the loss of a child

3. first historian to look at how childhood changed throughout history emphasising that childhood is a social and historical construction which alters over time and place