Philippe Ariès and the History of Childhood

The History of Childhood

In this course, Professor Hugh Cunningham (University of Kent) explores the historical development of childhood from the early modern period to the present. In the first lecture, we consider Philippe Ariès’ hugely influential insights regarding the historical construction of childhood since the Middle Ages. In the second lecture, we think about the shift in the early modern period from a negative perception of childhood linked to Protestant theology to a positive, secular vision. In the third lecture, we discuss the impact of industrialisation and urbanisation on childhood in the nineteenth century. Next, we look at whether the twentieth century should be considered the “century of the child”. In the fifth and final lecture, we ask whether childhood is under threat.

Philippe Ariès and the History of Childhood

In this lecture, we think about the crucial contributions to the history of childhood made by Philippe Ariès, focusing in particular on: (i) his key work, Centuries of Childhood (1960), in terms of its historical scope and emphasis on changes in family structure and schooling to understand changes in childhood; (ii) Ariès’ arguments regarding the negative depiction of childhood in the Middle Ages; (iii) his focus on the development of schooling from the early modern period in conceptualising the transformation of childhood; (iv) the extent to which he followed a “progressive” narrative, wherein the lives of children were seen to be continually improving.