EDUC106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Pragmatism, Meritocracy, Scientific Method
21 Aug 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Youth
Tait’s provocations
Childhood is characterised by innocence?
Youth is characterised by natural resistance to authority?
Childhood is disappearing
“Youth” is expanding to fill its place
“Youth” itself didn’t really start appearing until the 1950s
Both childhood and youth require different but complementary forms of social governance and
control.
A question on which to begin…
If childhood can be viewed as a socially-constructed phenomenon, can the same thing be said
of ‘youth’?
Childhood and youth have been made the subject of an entire profession- teaching
But, the ontological question is whether or not a child or youth exist as real beings
independently of how we think about them; as transitional phases of life en route from the
dependency of being a child to to being an adult.
Biologically, childhood is depicted as being the colourful little caterpillar before we turn into
big ugly moths (Tait, p. 124)
Norman Lindsay “Halfway to Anyway” (1947)
Story of some young guys working their way through adolescence and the question
of identity and future purpose
On cover, they’re both dressed like adults — like a mini-adult
In 1950s, adults wore big ties and braces
Adolescents worse narrow ties and just had a square bottom
Had two colours they loved — Mitchell blue, Sanatra Red
Bodgies (guys with long hair and weird clothes) and widgies (girls with short
hair and weird clothes) — “usually come back to normal by age 22”… “dressed
abnormally” (Australian culture)
Development of new sub-youth culture
1960s - 70s — Mods and Rockers (England)
Conflicting groups — merges of a counter culture
Caused a lot of panic
1960s onwards — Skinheads
• Emerged among working class in London
1960s — Hippi/ Flower Power
!76 of !90
EDUC106
1960s - 70s — Surf Culture/ Beach boys
• Another sub culture
• In America
1960s — Teddy Boys
Working Class kids
In England
1990s — Punks
• Rebellious
• Subculture
• Comes from SkinHeads
1980s — Goths
Took over Western Roman civilisation and reflected the Dark Ages
Dark in their subculture
Beginning in England
So what do we make of all this?
• ‘Youth’ arose after WW1 and 2
• Differentiation of youth
• Given rise to the idea of adolescence — rebellion, stupidity
• Formed whole range of specialist polices and youth programs
‘At-risk’ youth
Other categories that shape identity
Quest for identity and formation of ‘better adults’
Notion of habitus — self identity
Much more to making yourself a female youth than simply being 15
Also hard work being the young woman or man that glossy magazines portray as the norm
Three key themes:
Historical and socio-cultural factors have shaped and are shaping youth identity
Youth Identity is the product of power relations
Disempowerment can result in more aggressive forms of youth identity
3 take-home messages
Be aware of our own pre-dispositions and stereotypes as to how we view “children” and “youth”
Be aware of how categories of “childhood” and “youth” change subtly over time
Be prepared to develop age-appropriate pedagogy responsive to context as the key.
Document Summary
Youth itself didn"t really start appearing until the 1950s. Both childhood and youth require different but complementary forms of social governance and control. Childhood and youth have been made the subject of an entire profession- teaching. Biologically, childhood is depicted as being the colourful little caterpillar before we turn into big ugly moths (tait, p. 124) Story of some young guys working their way through adolescence and the question of identity and future purpose. On cover, they"re both dressed like adults like a mini-adult. In 1950s, adults wore big ties and braces. Adolescents worse narrow ties and just had a square bottom. Had two colours they loved mitchell blue, sanatra red. Bodgies (guys with long hair and weird clothes) and widgies (girls with short hair and weird clothes) usually come back to normal by age 22 dressed abnormally (australian culture) 1960s - 70s mods and rockers (england) Conflicting groups merges of a counter culture.
