Government intervention in child rearing: governing infancy

Area of Science:

• Sociology of childhood
• History of education
• Cultural studies

Background:

• Examines the historical construction of childhood and infancy in Western societies.
• Investigates the enduring symbolism of infancy as a period of societal hope and ideals.
• Connects contemporary moral anxieties about children to traditional Western perspectives.

Observation:

• The concept of infancy, particularly in relation to popular education, has roots in an 18th-century shift in sensibility.
• Key figures like Pestalozzi, Fröbel, Hall, and Dewey influenced early childhood education reforms.
• Romantic ideals shaped early childhood education in the UK and US.

Findings:

• Davis argues that traditional Western constructions of childhood fuel current moral anxieties about children.
• The symbolism of infancy has been consistently used to imbue early childhood with prestige and societal expectations.
• Tensions in understanding infancy and infant education originated with 18th-century popular schooling and persist today.

Implications:

• Understanding historical perspectives on infancy is crucial for addressing contemporary challenges in early childhood education.
• The essay highlights the need to critically examine the idealized symbolism of infancy.
• These historical tensions continue to influence policy and practice in modern early childhood education.