{"product_id":"an-introduction-to-childhood-isbn-9781405125918","title":"An Introduction to Childhood","description":"In \u003ci\u003eAn Introduction to Childhood\u003c\/i\u003e, Heather Montgomery examines the role children have played within anthropology, how they have been studied by anthropologists and how they have been portrayed and analyzed in ethnographic monographs over the last one hundred and fifty years.  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eOffers a comprehensive overview of childhood from an anthropological perspective\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eDraws upon a wide range of examples and evidence from different geographical areas and belief systems\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSynthesizes existing literature on the anthropology of childhood, while providing a fresh perspective\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eEngages students with illustrative ethnographies to illuminate key topics and themes\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcknowledgments viii\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 1\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1 Childhood within Anthropology 17\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 17\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren: The First Primitives 18\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCulture and Personality 22\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCross-Cultural Studies of Child-Rearing 26\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren in British Anthropology 34\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Gendered Child 38\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChild-Centered Anthropology 43\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 49\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2 What is a Child? 50\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 50\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildhood as a Modern Idea: The Influence of Philippe Ariès 51\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConceptualizations of Childhood 53\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren as Incompetent or Subordinate 56\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren as Equals 61\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren as a Means of Forming Families and Giving Status 63\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren as an Economic Investment 67\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnwanted and Nonhuman Children 70\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 77\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3 The Beginning of Childhood 79\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 79\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFetuses 80\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpirit Children 87\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReincarnation 95\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnomalies 98\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 103\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4 Family, Friends, and Peers 104\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 104\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Role of Parents 105\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdoption and Fosterage 107\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren outside the Family 118\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSiblings 121\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFriends and Peer Groups 126\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 132\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5 Talking, Playing, and Working 134\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 134\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLearning Language 135\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren and Play 141\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWork or Play? 149\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 155\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6 Discipline, Punishment, and Abuse 156\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 156\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscipline and Punishment in the Western Tradition 157\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical Punishment 159\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlternatives to Physical Punishment 166\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWho Can Punish Children? 170\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChild Abuse 172\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 179\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7 Children and Sexuality 181\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 181\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnthropology, Sexuality, and Childhood 182\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren and Sex: The Influence of Freud 184\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIncest and Abuse 187\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEthnographies of Children and Sexuality 190\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChild Prostitution 196\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 200\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e8 Adolescence and Initiation 201\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 201\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat is Adolescence? 202\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdolescence and Globalization 207\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInitiation 212\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInitiation: A Psychological Approach 215\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInitiation and Education 221\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInitiation and Gender 224\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInitiation: The End of Childhood? 228\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 231\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 233\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBibliography 239\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex 270\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e“Although this work will be most useful for an upper-level undergraduate audience, more advanced readers will also enjoy it for its readability, the considerable breadth of literature covered, and its serious attempt to place children at the forefront of anthropology.”  (\u003ci\u003eJournal of the Finnish Anthropological Society\u003c\/i\u003e, 1 April 2011)\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Heather Montgomery illustrates the many ways that anthropologists have written about children over the past 150 years with enviable clarity and economy. Her book will be required reading for students, academics, and professionals in understanding childhood in context.\" (Journal of Folklore Research, 19 January 2011)\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"An Introduction to Childhood is nicely written and makes the case well for undergraduate audiences that it is important to consider cultural differences in ideas about childhood. This is a timely issue and the book should be a useful addition to introductory undergraduate courses.\" (\u003ci\u003eInternational Joumal of Sociology of the Family\u003c\/i\u003e, February 2010)\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"A timely, readable, and important work for all academic libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended.\" (\u003ci\u003eCHOICE\u003c\/i\u003e, October 2009)\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"This book deserves a wide audience; it is an important resource not only for students of anthropology but also to people working in child protection in cross-cultural settings. ... Invaluable.\" (\u003ci\u003eChildren \u0026amp; Society\u003c\/i\u003e, 2009)\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Throughout the book, the discussions give an insight into classic and contemporary anthropology related to children, which is important for everyone working with research in similar fields. The book is especially relevant for students. The style is clear and approachable … .Although it is not required of the reader to read the book from cover to cover, I strongly recommend doing so.\" (\u003ci\u003eChildhood in the Past,\u003c\/i\u003e 2009)\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cb\u003eHeather Montgomery\u003c\/b\u003e is a Senior Lecturer in Childhood Studies at The Open University. She has written on children and sexuality, tourism, children’s rights and on the role of children in anthropology. Her publications include \u003ci\u003eModern Babylon? Prostituting Children in Thailand\u003c\/i\u003e (2001), \u003ci\u003eUnderstanding Childhood: An Interdisciplinary Approach\u003c\/i\u003e (2003, with Martin Woodhead), and \u003ci\u003eChanging Childhoods: Global and Local\u003c\/i\u003e (2003, with Martin Woodhead and Rachel Burr).  \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eAn Introduction to Childhood\u003c\/i\u003e, Heather Montgomery examines the role children have played within anthropology, how they have been studied by anthropologists and how they have been portrayed and analyzed in ethnographic monographs over the last one hundred and fifty years.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUsing a wide range of evidence from a variety of very different societies, this book challenges the idea that there is any one correct way to raise children, or that parents across the globe have the same goals in raising their children, or the same attitudes towards them. Drawing on the rich history of anthropological literature, Montgomery uses key topics to illustrate important issues in the anthropological study of children and childhood. This volume provides a fresh investigation into the diversity of beliefs about childhood as well as the variety of children's daily lives, looking at issues such as how parents elsewhere raise their children, what they understand as abusive, how children become adults and what both adults and children see as their respective roles and responsibilities.\u003c\/p\u003e  \"This book provides a fascinating and comprehensive overview of the social anthropology of childhood, drawing on a range of material generated over the past century. It is written in an engaging, accessible style, and will be required reading for students, academics and professionals interested in understanding childhoods in contexts.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eViginia Morrow\u003c\/b\u003e, Reader in Childhood Studies, Institute of Education, University of London  \u003cp\u003e\"In this clearly written and informative book Heather Montgomery demonstrates the important contribution that contemporary perspectives on children's lives can make to the older anthropological tradition.....a valuable addition to the canon.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eAllison James\u003c\/b\u003e, University of Sheffield\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"This marvelous volume fills a long-standing need for a thorough history of anthropology's interest in childhood. There is excellent coverage of topics central in current thinking about child development such as discipline and sexuality as well as topics such as spirit children that are unique to anthropology. Montgomery's writing is engaging and accessible and this work should be warmly welcomed by scholars and their students.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eDavid Lancy\u003c\/b\u003e, Utah State University\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Dr. Heather Montgomery has provided the field with an important resource for introducing our students to the invaluable contributions anthropology has made to understanding children and childhood. The volume is wide-ranging in scope covering both classic and contemporary issues.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eJill Korbin\u003c\/b\u003e, Associate Dean, Professor of Anthropology, Director, Schubert Center for Child Studies, Case-Western Reserve University\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Based on close reading of ethnographic texts, this book synthesises the many ways that anthropologists have written about children over the years with an enviable clarity and economy. Eminently readable, it will be of interest to those both outside anthropology and outside academia who have any interest in the world's children. The chapter on the many ways of thinking about unborn children is particularly fine and forces us to consider more deeply our own understanding of humanity and personhood.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eLaurence Brockliss\u003c\/b\u003e, Director of Centre for the History of Childhood, University of Oxford\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley-Blackwell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47988724302053,"sku":"NP9781405125918","price":89.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781405125918.jpg?v=1761781339","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/an-introduction-to-childhood-isbn-9781405125918","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}