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[[File:Boysinadertising1959.jpg|thumb|A child ([[boy]]), depicted in advertising (1959)]]'''Child''' is a term for an immature person, with varying meaning, social and symbolic significance, between different cultures and time periods throughout history. The universal existence of a childhood is debatable, especially when viewed from an historical perspective. | |||
Within academic disciplines such as sexology, a "child" is defined by their capacity to reproduce, referring to a person who has not started puberty (a prepubescent). Within the sphere of [[chronophilia]] research, and the self-labeling amongst people expressing various chronophilias, this simple definition is used. | |||
Alternative definitions are the familial status (I am the ''child'' of my parent, despite being 35 years old), or someone who is either below the [[Age of Majority]] or [[Age of Consent]] (a minor). The [[United Nations]] use the latter definition - someone under the age of 18. | |||
'''Childhood''' and by extension, the status of human beings as children is an unstable concept. It has been suggested by some historians such as [[Philippe Aries]]<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Aries Wikipedia - Aries]</ref> that the concept of childhood is itself a second-millennium invention. | ==Instability as a [[Debate Guide: Social constructionism|social concept]]== | ||
'''Childhood''' and, by extension, the status of human beings as children, is an unstable concept. It has been suggested by some historians such as [[Philippe Aries]]<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Aries Wikipedia - Aries]</ref> that the concept of childhood is itself a second-millennium invention. Later academics such as historian [[Nicholas Syrett]] and sociologist [[Juliette Rennes]], have explored the social construction and significance ascribed to the notion or category of "age" in human history. | |||
In sentencing two different men for [[child pornography]] offenses, Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. has stated that ''“This is not only a crime against individual children. This is a crime against childhood itself and the innocence of childhood”'',<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/pr/bucksport-man-sentenced-possessing-child-pornography Bucksport Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20190119222518/https://thecounty.me/2019/01/16/news/caribou-man-sentenced-to-7-years-in-prison-for-downloading-sharing-child-pornography/ Caribou man sentenced to 7 years in prison for downloading, sharing child pornography]</ref> thus highlighting the importance of these statutes in maintaining the ''institution'' of childhood. | |||
Within academia, ''[[Critical Childhood Studies]]'' explores, among other topics, the history and construction of childhood, textual and visual representations of childhood, childhood as metaphor, and children, themselves, as agents of cultural production.<ref>[https://ccsproject.org/critical-childhood-studies/ Critical Childhood Studies]</ref> | |||
Recent research has attempted to deconstruct "the modern invention of puberty as a scientific object," offering "a critical inquiry into the epistemological and political roots of our present pubertal complex". See Pedro Pinto and Catriona Macleod, [https://annas-archive.org/md5/9f11d2a0a3745800092ccc3bbc9f48bc ''A Genealogy of Puberty Science : Monsters, Abnormals, and Everyone Else''] (Routledge, 2019). | |||
==Childhood innocence and vulnerability== | ==Childhood innocence and vulnerability== | ||
Central to the issue of intergenerational sexuality is the concept of [[childhood innocence]] and its modern objectivist/utilitarian counterpart, [[vulnerability]]. | Central to the issue of intergenerational sexuality is the concept of [[Childhood Innocence|childhood innocence]] and its modern objectivist/utilitarian counterpart, [[vulnerability]]. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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*[[Girl]] | *[[Girl]] | ||
*[[Adult]] | *[[Adult]] | ||
*[[ | *[[Minor-adult sex]] | ||
*[[Child | *[[Child Sexual Abuse]] | ||
*[[Child | *[[Child Pornography]] | ||
*[[Feminism]] | |||
*[[Safeguarding]] | |||
*[[Jacob Breslow]] | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
[[Category:Official Encyclopedia]][[Category:Facts of life]][[Category:Youth]][[Category:Terminology]][[Category:Terminology: Academic]] | [[Category:Official Encyclopedia]][[Category:Facts of life]][[Category:Youth]][[Category:Terminology]][[Category:Terminology: Academic]] | ||
[[Category:Terminology: Popular]][[Category:Terminology: Charity, NGO & "Professional"]] | [[Category:Terminology: Popular]][[Category:Terminology: Charity, NGO & "Professional"]][[Category:Terminology: MAP]] | ||
Latest revision as of 01:12, 2 October 2025
Child is a term for an immature person, with varying meaning, social and symbolic significance, between different cultures and time periods throughout history. The universal existence of a childhood is debatable, especially when viewed from an historical perspective.
Within academic disciplines such as sexology, a "child" is defined by their capacity to reproduce, referring to a person who has not started puberty (a prepubescent). Within the sphere of chronophilia research, and the self-labeling amongst people expressing various chronophilias, this simple definition is used.
Alternative definitions are the familial status (I am the child of my parent, despite being 35 years old), or someone who is either below the Age of Majority or Age of Consent (a minor). The United Nations use the latter definition - someone under the age of 18.
Instability as a social concept
Childhood and, by extension, the status of human beings as children, is an unstable concept. It has been suggested by some historians such as Philippe Aries[1] that the concept of childhood is itself a second-millennium invention. Later academics such as historian Nicholas Syrett and sociologist Juliette Rennes, have explored the social construction and significance ascribed to the notion or category of "age" in human history.
In sentencing two different men for child pornography offenses, Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. has stated that “This is not only a crime against individual children. This is a crime against childhood itself and the innocence of childhood”,[2] thus highlighting the importance of these statutes in maintaining the institution of childhood.
Within academia, Critical Childhood Studies explores, among other topics, the history and construction of childhood, textual and visual representations of childhood, childhood as metaphor, and children, themselves, as agents of cultural production.[3]
Recent research has attempted to deconstruct "the modern invention of puberty as a scientific object," offering "a critical inquiry into the epistemological and political roots of our present pubertal complex". See Pedro Pinto and Catriona Macleod, A Genealogy of Puberty Science : Monsters, Abnormals, and Everyone Else (Routledge, 2019).
Childhood innocence and vulnerability
Central to the issue of intergenerational sexuality is the concept of childhood innocence and its modern objectivist/utilitarian counterpart, vulnerability.
See also
- Boy
- Girl
- Adult
- Minor-adult sex
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Child Pornography
- Feminism
- Safeguarding
- Jacob Breslow