defintion of adulthood
stage of life course working towards (children and youth) and elderly are moving away from
who talks about less distinction between life course stages?
Lee (2001), adulthood is stretched out, school leavers used to be aged 15, small minority in higher education and younger age of marriage
how has it changed from early 20th century to late 21st century?
leaving age of education is 18/21, live with parents longer, rising age of family formations
who talks about a normal/standard adulthood that people are judged against? what is the main argument?
- Blattener
- changes in the economy
- cohabitation acceptance
- prior generations didn’t have choice
- 40% people go back to living with parents
‘prolonged’ ‘delayed’ adulthood
are not neutrally descriptive terms, they imply negative judgement
criticism of Blattener ‘modern adulthood=march through institutions of marriage, parenthood and work’
outdated…cohabitation, work comes first
how does Blattener think adulthood is marked now:
subjective feelings, relationship markers, ‘alternate’ practical accomplishments and repertories of behaviour
who talks about the ideological dominance of adulthood? what is their main argument?
Hockey and James
- adults possess desirable qualities e.g. independence, autonomy, citizenship
- dominance is maintained through distancing themselves from other groupings
- infantilization of old and disabled
- ‘fit and strong’ boost social power/status
who disagrees with Hockey and James and why?
Hutson and Jenkins-they recognise not all adults have equal power
- access to rights of citizenship are affected by gender, class and ethnicity factors
- able bodied, white, mc males in full-time employment can extend their citizenship rights more than others e.g working class female
cross cultural comparison of not every adult having equal power (to support Hutson and Jenkins)
south America, black men referred to as boys
=not a social status enjoyed by all
who agrees and accepts Hutson and Jenkins argument?
Hockey and James
- see bodies as important vehicles through which dominance is sustained
- must be physically fit, clear skin etc
who talks about adulthood over historical time?
Aries-no real childhood (start work age 5)
Gillis-work on youth showed they were semi-dependent
Harevern- participation in parenhood spread over life-span
-rare to experience empty nest as short life expectancy
-after industrialisation, exclusion of children (education) and elderly (retirement) from labour market=adulthood is through process of exclusion
what demographic factors affected adulthood in 19th century?
trends towards lower fertility rates and increased longevity compressed adulthood into a specific life-course period distinct from other stages (Hareven)
other factors influencing emerging adulthood (Jordon)
- suffrage movement
- 1928 women given right to vote=politically only adulthood mattered
- gradual inclusion of gender and class so had equal citizenship rights, and exclusion of kids and elderly from labour market
who argued you can withhold adulthood status?
Hockey and James
- 19th century market-orientated approach brought concern of personhood (self-made man)
- grouping gradually appropriated aristocratic family with dependent wife and kids
- eventually permeated down to wc
- labour force became central to attribution of adulthood
adulthood in modern britain
-administered by the state (education laws)
Hutson and Jenkins-‘a repertoire of appropriate behaviours and a set of practical accomplishments
Ferri’s study of 1958 birth cohort
-had the features of mature adulthood
67% parents, 88% married/divorced
who talks about motherhood being important adult criteria for women?
Willis
how do hutson and jenkins disagree with some being more adult than others?
study of south wales, single 23 year old was regarded as a mother by herself and her parents. its how she responded to the role
Wallace talks about markers of status
1) publice.g. wedding
2) private e.g. first sexual encounter
3) official e.g. right to vote
cross-cultural example Howell
the Chewong people, personhood is only achieved after first child is born
cross-cultural example: Schildkrout
Hausa people, girl can be married aged 10, but cannot engage in sexual activities or cook until some time after
