The Need For Theory in Children’s Studies

1. The Need For Theory in Children’s Studies

2. Nothing Is As Simple As It Appears From here there is no turning back…

3. So What Will You Choose? take the blue pill and return to your ordinary everyday lives OR take the red pill and see how deep the rabbit hole goes.

4. Representation Who has voice and who does not

5. Images, Images Everywhere! • over abundance of images surround us • we cant immediately decode all of the messages • Therefore we naturalize! • when an image is familiar and repeated • we categorize it as “natural” • allowing it “in”- without further decoding • Examples…

10. Big questions: Is this what we have done with representations of race, class, gender, sexuality, age, and ability in the media? Have stereotypes of social variables taken on a life of their own, so as to become the only representation of the variables allowed and/or accepted in the media?

11. Discourses: • Defn: 1) verbal interchange of ideas; especially conversation 2) a formal and orderly and usually extended expression of thought on a subject 3) a mode of organizing knowledge, ideas, of experience that is rooted in language and its concrete contexts (as history or institutions)

12. Discourses are: • The way we talk about stuff • There can be more than one discourse associated with a subject • Ie/ york u. home page • http//:www.yorku.ca

13. A symbol is always just a symbol • Description (in any form- film, literature, advertising, etc) can never fully explain its subject • A symbol only represents and never IS • Its iconic: defn: it represents an object but has none of its properties

14. What is this?

15. representation • The picture of the cow represents the cows but it doesn’t “represent” – • It is not a cow • Ie/ what we see on TV cannot really represent itself (the dog that can bark but not bite)

16. representation • Representation: defn: 1) one that represents: as an artistic likeness or image   2) a statement or account made to influence opinion or action

17. Representation • Discourses are how we use language to represent the ideas, ideologies, and values of a culture. • Often these representations are not based on fact or truth but instead on stereotypes and assumptions • The problem is when these representations become the norm. • i.e. Frozone or The Frog Princess

19. Pierre Bourdieu • In Distinction explains how an accent works to maintain class distinction • Moves the idea of distinction away from economic to cultural • Suggests that lifestyles are the big distinguishers

20. capital • Usually refers to money/land • Is really about power relations • We already know power relations are unequal • According to Bourdieu, capital, can be more than economic- it can be symbolic

21. Types of Capital • Economic capital • Cultural capital • Political capital • Etc.

22. Where Bourdieu meets up with us • Cultural capital has replaced economic capital as the space where distinction happens • The difference is still economic BUT it is made REAL through culture • It is legitimated through culture • It is our lifestyles which distinguish and determine who is better than others and Who has power

23. THE POINT: all discourses are rooted in language and history: • The way we talk about things is based on: • A particular history • A particular worldview • A particular power relationship

24. Therefore with regards to children and children’s studies: • How a society talks about its children- tells us a lot about that society’s • Values • Culture • Priorities • Inherent Power Structures

25. THE PROBLEM WITH: The authentic voice of the child • This is why the authentic voice of the child is so difficult to hear • BECAUSE too many of a societies discourses about “childhood” are focused on what adults THINK about children and what they WANT childhood to be

26. This is what makes representation an issue. • Discourses about children are symbols • they reflect adult desires and fears about society • through representing childhood as either: a) innocent, pure, and in need of protection, or b) bad, evil, and in need of surveillance and salvation.

27. BREAK

28. Why Marx? Why Gramsci? Why Althussier? • We need a criteria to judge society • We need a starting point • We need a specimen

29. In This Course • equality is our criteria • the beginning of “childhood” is our starting point • children’s right are our specimen

30. Scope Over the next month we will examine the social construction of: • Race • Class • Gender • Sexuality, etc. Around ideas on representation, discourse, ideology, and oppression And argue that age is also a social variable, which requires a critical theory

31. OR to put it more simply: We are interested in the making, marking, and maintaining of the social inequalities of the adult/child relationship

32. Marx and Engels: “the making” • ruling ideas represent interests of ruling class • ruling class = economic power & access to system of production • those with money, education, power, and access find their ideas, hopes, dreams, & ambitions: • most represented • “the norm” • i.e. Sammond’s “Generic Child” *representation is NEVER proportionate*

33. in terms of size (#s) Other Ruling class

34. In terms of power (voice) Ruling Class/Dominant Ideology Other voices

35. Definition in relation to DI Dominant Ideology race class gender sexuality

36. Definition in relation to DI D.I race class gender sexuality race race race race class class class class gender gender gender gender sexuality sexuality sexuality sexuality

37. Gramsci:“the marking” • Gramsci told us • what is ideology, • how ideology is constructed • in different periods of history. • laid out the dangers of: • a) overlooking power relations in discourses • b) seeing ideology as natural, innocent, stupid, etc. *Dr. Seuss & At the Airport*

38. Althusser:“the maintaining” ISAs and RSAs • Repressive State Apparatus • The govt. • Military • Police • Uses violence to maintain order • ISAs- Ideological State Apparatus • Education • Religion • Family • Uses ideology to maintain order

39. Althusser • Both ISAs and RSAs use a double functioning • That is both use ideology and violence/repression to maintain order • The difference is which one is dominant • RSA- violence is dominant • ISAs- Ideology is dominant

40. Althusser, discourse, representation and the politics of children To be political a person must first be aware: • ideology works on two levels: • Explicit and implicit (obvious and hidden) • The more obvious it is the more dangerous it is • This ideology is at play in everything around us (no one is outside of it) • Words and symbols hold enormous power • All the images we see in ads, movies, TV, magazines, etc. are always meaning more than simply what they portray • A can of Coke is never simply a can of Coke

41. Task : • Examine the oppression around you- in your own life- what does it look like? • Make a collage of all of the symbols/icons/images in your life that shape, alter, or influence your actions as an adult. • On the back of the collage, answer the following questions: • 1) how do these icons affect you? • 2) which symbols are from your childhood?