Being and Becoming of a child

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

This research project will record the life stories of three people, a grandmother born in the 1920s, her daughter born in the 1950s, and her granddaughter born in the 1990s. My aims and objectives are to explore socialization and the past present and future concepts of “being”, to identify patterns in their linked lives and to generate theoretical interpretations. The enquiry into the socialization process and how it has changed across three generations adds to a better understanding of how others and we relate to the world around us. Since it can be determined form, the interviews the differences between the various stages of child development as the interviewee mentioned. The interviews will be conducted in an unstructured manner, in order to allow the participants to tell as much of their life story and where they do most of the talking. The study determines the social changes, which takes place during life.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

Background1

Aims and Objectives of the Study2

Rationale of the Study2

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW3

Influence of church and social changes in Ireland3

Social Competence6

Theories of social development8

Theory of psychosocial development8

Social-Emotional Development9

Theory of Emotional Development11

Family Development12

The impact of family on development14

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY16

Sampling16

Research Questions17

Consent Form18

Ethics20

CHAPTER NO 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION21

Interview Findings21

First interviewee21

Second interviewee21

3rd interviewee22

Comparison of interviewee23

Family Tree24

Discussion25

Thematic Analysis25

Social Changes Impact on closeness27

Theories of social Development and closeness28

Bourdieu's theory on habitus31

Role of Family Communication and closeness31

CHAPTER NO 5: CONCLUSION34

REFERENCES35

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

This research project will record the life stories of three people, a grandmother born in the 1920s, her daughter born in the 1950s, and her granddaughter born in the 1990s. This is a three-generation approach, which promotes a view by which the family, rather than the individual, becomes the central unit of analysis. This collection of life stories brings time to the fore in a biographical research. The “embedded ness” in time and structures allow me to look at how children are socialized in the past present and future. This also allows me to see how a child actively and creatively constructs their own agency in the concept of “being” and “becoming” a child (Millar 2000).

Background

Our very experiences of childhood are an important aspect in shaping our lives. Over time, we see the changing place of children, our views have changed. Historically, Philip Aries looks at the lack of awareness of childhood, where children were almost totally absent from medieval paintings to one today, where the child can often take centre stage 2005:65). In the new history of childhood, what is left out, according to William Corsaro is the consideration of “children ...