Review

Reviewed Work(s): Theorizing Childhood by Allison James, Chris Jenks and Alan Prout:
'Childhood' in 'Crisis'? by Phil Scraton
Review by: RUTH EMOND
Source: Sociology , NOVEMBER 1998, Vol. 32, No. 4 (NOVEMBER 1998), pp. 888-891
Published by: Sage Publications, Ltd.

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.com/stable/42857890

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 888 BOOK REVIEWS

dominant model of individuals used in Underwriting Scraton's account is a

psychiatry, Homo Psychiatrus: structuralist, political view of 'childhood'.
' Childhood
The individual person is seen essentially as y in ' Crisis' ? explores a wide
a closed system whose own internal range of institutional frameworks which
control and shape the experiences of
processes have a high degree of independ-
children. Proceding from, yet going
ence in relation to what appear as 'external'
or social factors. In general, the latter are
beyond, the more straightforward institu-
evaluated as peripheral when a person is
tions, such as the family and school, this
considered psychiatraly. They can be 'taken book threads outwards to embrace an
off', as it were, like a patient's clothes in a
analysis of the impact of the media, the
doctor's surgery . . . The image evoked by
criminal justice system and the discourse
these conventions of speaking and thinking
of sexuality available to children and
is that of a high wall surrounding the single
young people. Conversely James et al. in
individual, from which mysterious little
dwarfs - the 'environmental influences' - Theorizing Childhood situate themselves
clearly within an academic discourse and
throw small rubber balls at the individual,
which leave on him no imprints, (p. 79)provide the reader with the current
trends in sociological thinking. They are
Overall the book is definitely not intended
as a substitute for a full-scale biographysimultaneously sensitive to the structural
influences on 'childhood' and the wider
(this does not exist). Rather this is a
'taster' volume of selections designed to issues of time, space, body, work and
culture. The result, then, is two
'whet readers' appetites for more' - a
purpose which it will certainly fulfil.
companionable books. Scraton and
colleagues start from external structures
and work inwards towards individual
Queen's University, Belfast
MICHAEL MORGAN children and young people, whilst James
et al. begin with the child and his/her
immediate locations and work outwards,
exploring the relationships between the
Allison James, Chris Jenks and Alan active child, the surrounding structures
Prout, Theorizing Childhood, Oxford: and existing sociological theory.
Polity Press, 1998, £45.00 (£13.95 As a heuristic device for locating con-
pbk), 238 pp. (ISBN: 0-7456-1564-3 temporary childhood, both books begin
hbk; 0-7456-1565-1 pbk). by documenting its historical context.
Phil Scraton (ed.), 'Childhood' in They stress the changing perception of
'Crisis'? London: UCL Press, 1997, children and 'childhood' that has
£12.95, xvi+224 pp. (ISBN: 1-85728- occurred since Aries (1962) first ackn
788-6 hbk; 1-85728-789-4 pbk). ledged that childhood was not always
considered as 'other' to adulthood. James
These two timely publications arrive et al. chart this development by distin-
during a decade where the notion of guishing between what they refer to as
'childhood' has been granted high status the 'pre sociological' and the 'sociological
and has been the focus of furious child'. This offers the reader a helpful
academic, social and political debate. insight into how current sociological
Images of childhood are commonly thinking has emerged from economic,
presented from the perspective of the political and religious discourse. They go
'abused' or 'innocent' child 'victim' on further in that they identify four cate-
the one hand, or the 'delinquent' child gories of 'childhood', which, they argue,
'hooligan' threatening our safety, on are the
currently utilised in research and
other. Both of these books keep this academic debate, (the 'social structural
present dichotomous climate in mind child', the 'tribal child', the 'minority
and, interestingly, approach the whole group child' and the 'socially constructed
notion of contemporary 'childhood' from child'). In their favour these categories
differing perspectives. are referred to throughout the succeeding

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 BOOK REVIEWS 889

chapters providing The authors continue to demonstrate

a useful framewo
the book as a whole. To some extent, a an awareness of locating children within
framework is also used by Scraton: in thistheir social, cultural and economic con-
case the political and economic influence text and the adult-dominated nature of
on 'childhood' discourses and individual children's relationship with society during
children's experiences. their discussion of working children. In
so doing they again employ global
After their initial similarity in locating
current thinking on 'childhood' the books examples and consider the ways in which
begin to diverge. Theorizing Childhood Western research has disregarded the
proceeds by situating childhood within localised view of children. In providing
the example of working children the
various locales. It focuses on three spatial
locations - the school, the city and the authors are able to highlight the mar-
home. Within the early chapters the ginalised status of children, not simply
discussion highlights the control of child-within society at large, but also within
ren's physical movements and the use of current academic thinking. Children are
space to survey and monitor behaviourrarely considered in mainstream aca-
and the relationship of childhood with demic research on work, economy or
time. Going beyond childhood and its poverty and are instead considered as
place in the life-course, the authors dis- appendages to adult experiences.
cuss the ways in which notions of appro- To continue their attempt at locating
priate 'normal' child behaviour is linked childhood within wider sociological
to biological development and 'futurity'. theory James et al. consider the issue of
This widely held discourse, they argue, the body and childhood. Within this
also includes the notion of the child chapter they map the historical relation-
being the adult 'in waiting'. James ship
et between
al. the childhood body and the
touch on the interactive relationship growth of specialist professions (for
between child and time and how each example, paediatrics or social work).
can impact on the other - suggesting Morethepertinently, they illustrate the
child as active rather than passive.importance
This of the 'normal' child body to
was a fascinating point, not only in children
terms themselves and how this is
of the acknowledgement of the child's disregarded by adults in favour of their
agency, but further with regard to own construction of appropriate child
the
application of agency to the concept bodiesof
and behaviour. Again, this is an
time. Perhaps, because of its apparent issue which could perhaps have been
originality, this is a point whichexpanded
could upon. In common with the
have been explored in more depth. discussion on children and time, the
In the later chapters of the bookrelationship
the between sociological dis-
authors examine the culture of children courses and the child body is a relatively
and whether this can be regarded as a new area of debate.
separate phenomenon. What emerges Finally, the authors discuss the current
from this debate is a critical examination wave of child research and the way that
of the perceived 'universality' of child- this has been structured; little work has
hood. The authors argue that childhood been undertaken employing the per-
experiences are socially shaped by ethni- spective of the child as social agent. They
city, class and gender in much the same are also critical of the manner in which
way as adult experiences are. Further- the existing research relates to dominant
more, their analysis is cognisant of the research themes within mainstream social
view that children are social agents. science. James et al. argue that 'child-
These points are expanded in Chapter 7 hood' is central to sociological theory
which highlights the danger of viewingand in their attempt to illustrate this they
childhood from a purely structuralist construct relationships between current
perspective, thereby neglecting the academic debate (i.e. identity and differ-
experiences of children themselves. ence) and 'childhood'. In many ways this

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 890 BOOK REVIEWS

detracted rather than added to an results is a chapter which considers the

interesting consolidative text. impact of 'acceptable' gender behaviour
' Childhood ' in ' Crisis' ? presentsand heterosexual
quite a championing of the
different approach to childhood. Theknowledge which is shared with
sexual
focus is predominantly on the relation- children and young people. Once more
ship between 'structure' and childhood,the restriction of the child's wishes is
highlighted, as is the predominance of
although, like James et al ., they highlight
the marginalised position of children in
adult notions of the limited capacity of
terms of their lack of power andchildren controlto understand or have cause to
know about sexual matters.
over their own lives. One of the strengths
of this book is the way in which current The political influence on education is
influences, both legal and cultural, are continued in the chapter by
a theme
discussed. Haydon. In the course of her discussion
In Chapter 2 Davis and Bourhill she notes the control that central govern-
provide an interesting insight into thement and political thinking has on what
impact of recent media images of child-is taught in schools, when it is taught and
hood. They describe the ways in which to whom. She refers to the way in which
newsworthy stories are chosen and how children have been presented as lawless
within the school setting and to the
information can be selectively highlighted
public and political pressure to expect
to illustrate and support the causes which
the media choose to reflect. The debate schools to be the site of moral and
focuses on the familiar dichotomy of behavioural socialisation. By so doing,
'child as victim' or 'child as perpetrator'. blame can be politically attributed to
Extracts from newspapers are used to these educational centres for the current
highlight the ways in which reporting can production of 'wayward' children.
fuel 'moral panic' reactions to events and The theme of 'waywardness' is
behaviours. developed further in Goldson's chapter
Vicki Coppock provides two chapters on juvenile crime. He provides the reader
in this edited collection - the first of with a background to social work and
which concentrates on the family. legal practices which have, until recently,
Coppock presents a historical picture of dealt with young offenders. He moves on
demographic changes and the ways in to describe how a previously protective
which they have been hijacked to explain and nurturing approach was replaced by
what is politically perceived as the a range of punitive policies. Goldson is at
breakdown of society in terms of moral pains to demonstrate that these changes
and law-abiding behaviour. Coppock occurred against empirical research find-
writes from what appears to be a highly ings and professional conclusion from
politicised perspective which, although practice, and that we have now moved
useful, limits a discussion of the impactinto an age where punishment is
on and by children to the changes in theexpected to be exacted upon children
family and how these have been who offend. He suggests that this is a
perceived. By contrast, her discussion frightening
of development which may
children and mental health (Chapterimpact 7) on future legislation and treat-
appears more focused on the relationship ment of children as a whole.
between the medical and social services Both books provide a series of con-
clusions
structures and their collective impact on that review existing research and
the construction of 'normal' childhood thinking on childhood. Scraton makes
and the treatment of 'the abnormal'. clear his wish that children be accorded
The chapter by Corteen and Scraton similar status to adults and he describes
provides a discussion of childhood the attempts that have been made to this
end by the United Nations. He is critical
sexuality. Again the structural influences
(i.e. the school and family) take of current political thinking and practice
precedence over individual agency. Whatin relation to children and cleverly sums

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 BOOK REVIEWS 891

up his philosophy Thailand and by Indonesia (Pavla Ježkova);

suggesting
crisis of which information
thetechnology
book and manu-
speaks
childhood but in fact in 'adultism'. facturing in Slovenia (Maja Bucar), the
Similar points are made by James et al.garment industry, in which
Canadian
although their emphasis is in terms there of
is considerable involvement of
placing childhood firmly withinethnic existing
minority workers (Charlene
sociological theory. They achieveGannagé),
their the banking sector in India
(Suj ata Gothoskar), telecommunications
aim of consolidating 'the now burgeoning
array of childhood studies' and are able
in Malaysia (Cecilia Ng and Carol Yong),
to identify areas which require furthersoftware programming in Brazil (Fatima
academic attention. Both books provide Janine Gaio), the electronics industry in
an excellent account of historical and Calcutta (Nirmala Banerjee), women and
current thinking on 'childhood' and the
information technology in sub-Saharan
ways in which these discourses are Africa (Mayuri Odedra-Straub), and
influenced by adult-centric perspectives.
information technology as a mobilising
force for women in Tanzanian media
Ultimately, however, like others involved
in the field, both sets of writers appear
(Fatma Alloo). There is also a chapter by
unclear as to the 'way forward' both inRuth
a Pearson which considers gender
practical and theoretical sense. perspectives on health and safety in
information processing in an inter-
References national framework.

Aries, P. 1962. Centuries of Childhood. London:

As the above suggests, the field of
Cape. women's employment and information
technology is an extremely broad one,
University of Stirling RUTH EMOND eluding glib generalisations about the
gendered consequences of the inform-
ation revolution in different sectors, in
different countries, and among different
Swasti Mitter and Sheila Rowbotham groups of women. In some cases
(eds.), Women Encounter Techno- computer-aided production forecloses
logy: Changing Patterns of Employ- opportunities for women, and in others
ment in the Third World, London: opens up new (and more skilled)
Routledge, 1997, £47.00 (£16.99 possibilities, notwithstanding that prob-
pbk), xvii+356 pp. (ISBN: 0-415- lems of women's 'dual burden', employer
12687-8 hbk; 0-415-14118-4 pbk). discrimination and gender differences in
human capital and training are never far
This volume was first published in 1995, away.
but was printed in paperback in 1997, no Diversities in experiences and vantage
doubt because it proved to have an points are competently summarised in
extremely wide market. Not only doesthe three introductory chapters by the
the book tackle a subject on which little editors, which not only do an excellent
attention has been given to date in thejob of highlighting difference, but which
literature on gender and development, also (and refreshingly) remind us that
but the thirteen articles in the collection scope for collective action in a variety of
cover a broad range of themes relating to arenas is not beyond the realms of
women and information technology (IT)probability as we approach the twenty-
in an impressive sweep of different first century.
sectors and different geographical areas. The first of the introductory chapters,
More specifically, the case study chaptersby Swasti Mitter, is a lively and accessible
comprise an analysis of women's work indiscussion of the rationale behind the
the wake of increasing automation in thetext, together with brief introductions to
textile industry in Brazil and Argentinathe individual contributions. In addition
(Liliana Acero), and Bangladesh, to a user-friendly overview of what

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