This document discusses how childhood has been defined and represented through images over time. It explores how images from different eras portray children as objects, learners, victims, deviants, and consumers. The document questions who creates these images, for what audiences, and how they might shape societal views of children. It raises issues around whether images can discriminate and the messages they send about topics like work, violence, and roles of infants versus teenagers. The final quote advocates for changing environments and structures to allow children's competence to emerge.

1. IMAGES OF
CHILDHOOD
Perspectives
on Children
Sociology of Children
Eastern Washington University,
Children’s Studies

3. How do we define
‘Childhood’?

4. How do we define
‘Childhood’?
What does Childhood mean?

5. How do we define
‘Childhood’?
What does Childhood mean?
How is it constructed?

6. “The thing itself [childhood] cannot
be praised, only its potential.”
– Cicero, 106-43 BC

7. William-Adolphe Bougeureau, 1900

8. "Why rob these innocents
of the joys which pass so
quickly? Why fill with
bitterness the fleeting early
days of childhood, days
which will no more return
for them than for you?"
– Jean Rousseau, 18th c.

10. “Thus parents, by humouring
and cockering them when
little, corrupt the principles
of nature in their children,
and wonder afterwards to
taste the bitter waters, when
they themselves have
poison’d the fountain.”
– John Locke, 1693

11. "Unless you give children all
they ask for, they are
peevish and cry, aye, and
strike their parents
sometimes; and all this they
have from nature. Yet are thy
free from guilt, neither may
we properly call them
wicked ... because wanting
the free use of reason they
are exempted from all duty."
– Thomas Hobbes, 1642

12. From the day your baby is born, you must
teach him to do without things. Children
today love luxury too much. They have
execrable manners, flaunt authority, have
no respect for their elders. They no longer
rise when their parents or teachers enter
the room. What kind of awful creatures will
they be when they grow up?"

13. From the day your baby is born, you must
teach him to do without things. Children
today love luxury too much. They have
execrable manners, flaunt authority, have
no respect for their elders. They no longer
rise when their parents or teachers enter
the room. What kind of awful creatures will
they be when they grow up?"
– Socrates, 469-399 BC

14. ANALYZING IMAGES

15. Do images
represent a
culture’s
values?

16. Do images
represent a
culture’s
values?

17. Do images
shape a
culture’s
values?

18. Do images
shape a
culture’s
values?

19. Do images
shape a
culture’s
values?

20. Who creates the images?

21. Who creates the images?

22. Who are they created for?

24. How do
these images
affect you?

25. How do
these images
affect you?

26. Do images represent a culture’s
values?
Do images shape a culture’s values?
Who creates the images?
Who are they created for?
How do these images affect you?

27. Images of Children
Throughout History

28. The Child
As Object
Rogier van der Weyden, after 1454

29. “In medieval society the idea of childhood
did not exist; this is not to suggest that
children were neglected, forsaken or
despised. The idea of childhood is not to be
confused with affection for children; it
corresponds to an awareness of the
particular nature of childhood ... which
distinguishes the child from the adult. In
medieval society this awareness was lacking.

30. “In medieval society the idea of childhood
did not exist; this is not to suggest that
children were neglected, forsaken or
despised. The idea of childhood is not to be
confused with affection for children; it
corresponds to an awareness of the
particular nature of childhood ... which
distinguishes the child from the adult. In
medieval society this awareness was lacking.
– Philippe Ariès, 1962

31. The Child
As Object
Rogier van der Weyden, after 1454

32. The Child
As Object
Ellis Island Madonna
Lewis Hine, 1910

33. Madonna and Child with Cherubs
Andrea Mantegna, 1490

34. The Child As Object
Integrated Within Community...

37. ... or Central to the Family
The First Born, Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten, Dutch, 17th c.

38. Post-mortem photograph
F.X. Filteau, late 19th c.

39. The Child
As an
Individual
Ernesta with Nurse
Cecilia Beaux, American, 1894

40. Innocent,
Ernesta with Nurse
Cecilia Beaux, American, 1894

41. vulnerable,
Girl Coming through a Doorway
George Washington Mark, American, 1845

42. Helen Levitt, 1970s

43. ...and
fragile.
Girl on a Sea-Saw
John G. Brown,, American, late 19th c.

44. Sleeping Child
Arthur Leipzig, American, 1950

45. But also as active...
Untitled
Heinrich Heidersberger, German, 1927

48. ...intelligent
Two Children Reading
Heinrich Kuehn, Austria, 1900

49. honest,
responsive,
and free. Luxembourg Garden
Andre Kertesz, American, 1928

50. In The Streets
Helen Levitt, 1930s

51. In The Streets
Helen Levitt, 1930s

52. Presented
with little status... Waterloo ,
Edwin H. Blackfield, American, late 19th c.

53. Presented with
little... relative
status,
relative to
to adults
adults...
Mother and Child
Dorothea Lange, American, 1952

54. ... and little
importance... Black Boy and Great Dane,
George Zimbel, Canadian, 1960

55. ...in relation
to society.

57. The Child
As a Learner of
Adult Culture

58. Imitating adults

60. Modeling adults

61. Emulating adults

64. Socialized
by adults.

65. The Child
As a Victim

66. In ad campaigns
“This image generated
2,598 pieces of mail in
about 15 days... Of this,
2414 contained
contributions.”
– Mabel S. Faust,
Life Letters Chief, 1961

67. “Perhaps never before has
an exhibit been mounted
with such urgency.”
– Charles Kuralt, on LIFE’s
United Nations photo exhibition
“Somalia’s Cry”

68. In ad campaigns
“Perhaps never before has
an exhibit been mounted
with such urgency.”
– Charles Kuralt, on LIFE’s
United Nations photo exhibition
“Somalia’s Cry”

70. and policy campaigns

72. and policy campaigns

73. The Child
As a Deviant
The First Cigarette
D. Wilson, American, late 19th c.

74. which can seem
enduring...
The First Cigarette
D. Wilson, American, late 19th c.

75. The First Cigarette
D. Wilson, American, late 19th c. William Gedney, Kentucky, 1964

76. Child with a Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park
Diane Arbus, American, 1962

77. or threatening.
Child with a Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park
Diane Arbus, American, 1962

79. The Child as a Consumer
Ginny Nyrall, Grey Villet, American, 1956

80. Ginny Nyrall, Grey Villet, American, 1956

81. Where Children Sleep
James Mollison, English, 2010

82. Images of Children are...

83. Images of Children are...
Produced by adults for adults,

84. Images of Children are...
Produced by adults for adults,
Designed to elicit emotions,

85. Images of Children are...
Produced by adults for adults,
Designed to elicit emotions,
or to sell a product.

86. Images of Children are...
Produced by adults for adults,
Designed to elicit emotions,
or to sell a product.
What is the message?

87. Is work for
children
dangerous?

88. ...Or
Empowering?

91. Are children
victims of
violence?

92. Or
Perpetrators?

93. Can Images Discriminate?

95. How do they shape how
we view infants, young
children...

98. Teenagers and
young people?

100. What is the
message?

102. Children in Cinema

112. “We like to say that the child is
competent but it is not enough just to
declare this. If we really want the child
to be competent, we have to change
time, space, roles and rules to permit
this competent child to exist.”
– Carlina Rinaldi, Reggio Emilia