Childhood: Second edition

By Chris Jenks

Book Overview

In this book Chris Jenks looks at what the ways in which we construct our image of childhood can tell us about ourselves. After a general discussion of the social construction of childhood, the book is structured around three examples of the way the image of the child is played out in society:

the history of childhood from medieval times through the enlightenment 'discovery' of childhood to the present the mythology and reality of child abuse and society's response to it the 'death' of childhood in cases such as the James Bulger murder in which the child itself becomes the perpetrator of evil.

Part of the highly successful Key Ideas series, this book gives students a concise, provocative insight into some of the controlling concepts of our culture.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 113885848X
• ISBN13: 9781138858480
• Release Date: June 2015
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 178 Pages
• Weight: 0.49 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Taking Apart the Myth

In "Childhood" Jenks stabs at the heart of sociology's obsession with mythology, this time in the form of childhood. By providing a concise, if inaccessible, analysis of why and how sociologists, psychologists, and educators conceive of children, Jenks encourages a critical examination of the assumptions behind many institutions. This book provides necessary support for conversations about youth rights, civic engagement, and the roles of young people throughout society. It is a powerful tool for the determined popular reader, and an introductory lever for the academic. Suggested follow-up reading? Evolving Capacities of the Child by Gerrison Lansdown.