Who isa Child

I) childhood
1. a social construct
  1. 1 - Traditional sociology and developmental psychology
    1. passive, universal, unformed socialization projects
  2. 2 -New Social Studies of Childhood
    1. actors
    2. participatory
    3. an agent
    4. in constructing knowledge and daily experience
  3. ‘social generation'
    1. social conditions
    2. social order
2. explores
  1. Q? how children across ages, are perceived by adults
    1. Adults’ Perspective
    2. Adult-Child Relationship
3. Focused on
  1. Child Dev Process
  2. Social Position & Status of Child
II) Research on Social Position of Children
1. From Object (of provision and protection)
  1. to Subject (an actor and citizen)
2. Concerns
  1. marginalization and subordination
III) Childhood and Research in India
1. different notions of Child
  1. in different
    1. sociocultural
    2. geo-political
    3. contexts
2. I- Western and Indian Childhoods: A Cross-Cultural Comparison
  1. plurality in India
    1. family structure; socio-cultural, economic and political setting; birth order; gender etc
  2. compare
    1. Western Context
      1. A) with clear boundaries
      2. Between - Adult/Child World
      3. B) individualism
      4. self
      5. bounded and autonomous
      6. C) developmental tasks
      7. Maturation
      8. more relaxed and leisurely process
    2. Indian Context
      1. A) No Rigid Boundaries
      2. B) familism
      3. ‘belong to’ their parents
      4. C) developmental tasks
      5. 1. maternal indulgence
      6. no developmental demands
      7. 2. gradually enters the masculine world
      8. 3. faces inflexible standards of absolute obedience
      9. 4. conformity to familial and social standards
  3. similarity: Western and Indian
    1. as largely immature, incompetent, dependent and passive, occupying a subordinate position with respect to the adults
  4. India-specific literature
    1. a) on childhood
    2. b) on children’s rights
      1. social position
III) Method
1. questions
  1. Tell me something about your childhood
  2. According to you, who is a child?
  3. When will you consider that children have grown up?;
  4. List five strengths and five weaknesses of children
  5. Are today’s children different from yesteryear’s children?’
IV) FIVE Key Themes & Discussion
1. 1 Dev Processes: 3 Phases of Dev and Adult-Child Relations
  1. 1.1 Chhote Bachhe (Small Children)
    1. I) Phase & Boundary
      1. 10- 12 years of age (up to class 7
    2. II) Characteristics
      1. 1. Completely immature
      2. Characterized by complete immaturity in (domains)
      3. 1 cognitive D
      4. 2 emotional D
      5. 3 social D
      6. 2. Ignorant of social norms
      7. Misbehavior
      8. tantrums- shouting, throwing things, being stubborn or ‘ziddi’
      9. showing lack of emotional control
      10. speech
      11. Carefreeness, impulsiveness, spontaneity
      12. low awareness or care
      13. 3. Dependent
      14. Seen as
      15. 1 dependent
      16. 2 ignorant
      17. 3 unaware
      18. of surroundings and actions
      19. 4. Inherently innocent and good
      20. goodness and innocence
      21. freedom from all evils
      22. devoid of geed, selfishness, dishonesty, and malice
    3. III) Adult-child relationships and interaction pattern
      1. 1.Indulgence
      2. 2.Unquestioned obedience and deference expected
  2. 1.2 Kishor Awastha (Adolescence)
    1. I) Phase & Boundary
      1. class 7-8 (12-13 years
      2. relatively more mature and individualistic
    2. II) Characteristics
      1. 1.Developing maturity
      2. emergence of
      3. cognitive maturity
      4. analytical and reflective abilities
      5. discriminate between good and bad
      6. 2. Emerging individuality
      7. manifestations of individuality
      8. independently evaluating things
      9. asserting their opinions and feeling
      10. identity confusion
      11. impulsive, rash and willful
      12. 3.Heightened susceptibility to negative influences
      13. falling in bad ways
      14. into substance abuse, bunking school
      15. into stimuli with high sexual content
    3. III) Adult-child relationships and interaction pattern
      1. deprived of proper guidance and supervision
      2. not be left totally free
      3. Needed - supervision and awareness
      4. 1 Greater freedom to child & less use of force
      5. 2. Supervision, control & guidance
      6. felt essential on child’s activities & company
  3. 1.3 Bade Bache (Big/ Mature Children)
    1. I) Phase & Boundary
      1. From class 9-10 (14-15 years
    2. II) Characteristics
      1. 1.Quite developed cognitive & social maturity
      2. more mature cognitively and socially or ‘samajhdar’.
      3. social norms
      4. a sense of responsibility
      5. 2.Strong sense of individuality and independence
      6. Strong individuality
      7. independent functioning
      8. decision-making
      9. 3. Some immaturity
      10. still not fully mature needed guidance.
      11. needed guidance.
    3. III) Adult-child relationships and interaction pattern
      1. 1.More freedom given to child
      2. 2.Force on child replaced by reasoning & democratic strategies
      3. 3.Felt need for some guidance and control
2. 2 Socio-Historical Change in Dev Pattern of Children and Adult-Child Relations
  1. 2.1 Faster development/ Maturation -
    1. in present times
      1. than Earlier
    2. also seen as a negative development
  2. 2.2 Greater democratization of adult-child relations -
    1. participative nature
    2. greater negotiation
    3. now children ASK
      1. Earlier were silent
    4. being openly discussed
      1. ‘more aware’ now
      2. intimacy, romantic liaisons, puberty-related changes etc.
3. 3 Social Position of Children
  1. 3.1 Ideology of Incompetence and Dependency
    1. immature or ‘nasamajh’
    2. ignorance of social norms
    3. inability to discriminate
      1. between good and bad
    4. lack of sexual awareness
    5. subordinate and dependent
  2. 3.2 Essential Vulnerability and Immaturity
    1. susceptible to negative influences
    2. as immature,
    3. ignorant, impulsive and unable to reason and evaluate
  3. 3.3 Essential Innocence
    1. innocent or blank
    2. picked up bad habits
      1. only from their environment
  4. 3.4 Adults as Mentors, Children as Projects
    1. Child - needing constant
      1. guidance and support
    2. parent/teacher - as one providing this guidance and support
      1. mentor
4. 4 Centralized Decision-making and Expectation of Obedience
  1. to perform various kinds of ‘work’
  2. to obey the parents’ directives
    1. Obedience
  3. Adultocratic relations
5. 5 Control by Adult and Weak Ability to Negotiate in Children
  1. some form of control
  2. too much freedom was not good
  3. a subordinating ideology and marginalizing practices
    1. ‘the subordinate –dependent status of the child’
    2. minority social group’,
    3. ‘paternalistic marginalization’
    4. paternalism
      1. dominance + benevolence
    5. ‘the power dynamics
      1. considered natural’
  4. Indian social framework
    1. by hierarchy
    2. family norms
      1. not encourage children to ask questions
      2. disrespect
      3. for the adult’s nurturing authority
Conclusion
1. I) childhood
  1. 1 three developmental phases
  2. 2 compared to earlier times
  3. 3 analysis of social position of children
2. a) a platform to indigenous (Indian) discourses on childhood
3. b) problematising ‘naturally occurring’ power dynamics within adultchild relationships