Sometime in the next few days I will be posting my paper critiques. I have read four different papers - Shannon Rooke, Javier Garcia, Eric Kratzner, and Ryan Minor. I am in the process of defining their papers strengths and weakenesses, and putting pen to paper.
Sean
December 15, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (1)
I. INTRODUCTION
a. The Military Family
b. Topic Statement
c. Issues to be covered
d. Personal Comparison
e. Experiences sculpt our identities
f. What is a “Military Brat” – definition
g. Adapting to the lifestyle
II. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM: CREATION OF AN IDENTITY
a. Identity sculpted and influenced from birth
b. Constructed by society (our experiences/interactions with others)
c. “Military Brats” – unique identity
d. Identity Characteristics
e. EXAMPLES
f. ANALYSIS
III. THE MILITARY FAMILY: LIFE INSIDE THE COMPOUND
a. Growing up inside a “planned community”
b. Life inside the compound
c. Life outside the compound
d. EXAMPLES
e. PROS & CONS
f. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
g. ANALYSIS
IV. CHILDHOOD: BEING A PART OF THE MILITARY ROUTINE
a. The family “unit”
b. Mutual dependency
c. Relationship boundaries
d. Military upbringing
e. EXAMPLES
f. PROS & CONS
g. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
h. ANALYSIS
V. ROOTS AND GROWTH: DEFINITION OF HOME
a. Not a simple answer
b. Putting done roots – allowing room to grow
c. Relocation – a 4-step process
d. Creation of the “nomadic” lifestyle
e. Loss
f. EXAMPLES
g. PROS & CONS
h. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
i. ANALYSIS
VI. HOME ALONE: THE ABSENCE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS
a. Loss of friends and family
b. Loss of status
c. Loss of security
d. Loss of identity
e. Change and constant readjustment
f. Absent parents
g. EXAMPLES
h. PROS & CONS
i. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
j. ANALYSIS
VII. ADAPT AND OVERCOME: THE CULTURE SHOCK EXPERIENCE
a. Interaction, acceptance, tolerance of different cultures
b. Cultural boundaries (respect)
c. Diversity
d. Ignorance and Innocence
e. EXAMPLES
f. PROS & CONS
g. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
h. ANALYSIS
VIII. SOCIAL ISSUES: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY
a. Life is an experience
b. Experimentation and Peer pressure
c. Vices and issues inside the compound
d. Vices and issues outside the compound
e. Depression
f. Abuse
g. Parent Harmony
h. EXAMPLES
i. PROS & CONS
j. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
k. ANALYSIS
IX. I AM AN AMERICAN: READJUSTMENT TO A “FOREIGN” LAND
a. America – the “foreign” land
b. Readjustment
c. A new identity
d. EXAMPLES
e. PROS & CONS
f. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
g. ANALYSIS
X. BECOMING AN ADULT: DEFINING MY IDENTITY
a. Identity
b. Looking back on military childhood
c. Characteristics
d. EXAMPLES
e. PROS & CONS
f. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
g. ANALYSIS
XI. DIAL 911: ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT
a. Assistance and Support
b. Military Peer Groups
c. Civilian Peer Groups
d. The Military Brat Community
XII. HISTORY OF CHILDHOOD
a. Topic comparison to the History of Childhood
XIII. CONCLUSION
a. Topic Statement
b. Issues covered
c. Conclusion
d. ANALYSIS
e. Areas of research
XIV. BIBLIOGRAPHY
November 09, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0)
To all -
I have not forgotten about this class, I have just had one of those months that has worn me to a frazzle.
First things first, I am almost up-to-date with the HIS 300 assignments. I am about 3 or 4 weblogs behind - 2 that are more important than the others. I have not posted my my "Endnote" assisted bibliography (just my raw bibliography), my outline (just my raw outline), or my first draft. I should be up-to-date by no later than Sunday night, November 14th. I just recently met with a library assistant to go over research techniques and issues, and Endnote instruction - how to use it, how to formulate footnotes/endnotes/bibliographt, etc... I have also scheduled time with a English tutor to assist me in writing my paper. The style I thought was correct was proven wrong to me in a different History class where my paper was chewed up and spit back at me. My NOVA paper writings skills are far below the GMU standard - so basically I am learning on the fly. But - again - I am back on track and should be caught up by Sunday. Now for some explanation....
This has been a most regrettable month. First - I have come to the conclusion, I have tried to take on way toooo much this semester. I have taken a class to many - or rather too many classes that require extensive writing. Oh well - my own fault. Work, classes, activities, relocation, building a house, and family (and soon new child) have worn me to a frazzle. Combined they have prevented me from meeting deadlines and preparing myself for all of my classes. One issue (that was the icing on the cake) was that I just recently relocated and in doing so TypePad could not bill me (wrong billing address) - so they secured (put a hold on) my account. Well with my explanation of other issues to follow, I have not been on Typepad for three weeks and only recently figured out this issue as I was trying to post two blogs to update my status in this class --- Which will be done ASAP. Another issue is work. For some reason, my job has decided this fall that it would be great for me to travel every weekend (Friday through Monday) - (I have never travled the entire 6+ years I have worked for this company, but now I am the foremost expert in TANDBERG VTC equipment so I keep getting pulled from my "stationary" asignment), setting up/maintaining VideoTeleconferencing rooms up and down the the East coast. Fun, fun, fun - but not beneficial for my GMU classes. If that wasn't enough I've been sick for the last three weeks with the flu and migraine headaches. Again - not fun. Finally starting to get better - but what happens the temperature fluctautes again, so I won't doubt I get sick again. To top it all off, my first child is due within the next week or two and the doctors appointments and "weekly" scares my wife keeps putting me through are killing me. I am stressed to my outer limits. Going one step further, I have a house being built to be completed in February - and if you've ever had one built you would know it's a royal pain in the rump! Builders cannot be trusted to do the simplest of things. My wife always jokes about men not being able to follow directions - well it's true, at least in the construction business. -- blah -- blah -- blah -- blah
Well I am rambling on and on - sympathy is not required. Most of what I have stated above is self inflicted - my own fault so I will take my lashings as they come. My point is that I am now back on track and will be submitting everything by this weekend. I am not worried about my grade or about the deadlines I missed (I am but I can't do anything but turn in my stuff ASAP) - I am now worried about salvaging what I can this semester in this class and achieving as much as possible (hoping for the best). Getting back on track is the first step - look for my blogs this weekend.
See you all at class tomorrow.
November 09, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0)
SEAN P. CORCORAN
HIS 300 – INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL METHOD
OCTOBER 13, 2004
TYPEPAD POST #5 – BIBLIOGRAPHY [A WORK-IN-PROGRESS]
Here is a very raw bibliography for my reserach paper. It is still a work in-progress in terms of both content and structure. Everyday I am finding more information to assist me in writing my research paper and at the same discarding other resources that I have found.
BOOKS:
Military Brats: Legacies of Childhood Inside the Fortress
Mary Edwards Wertsch
Harmony Books, New York, New York
Copyright Ó 1991
· This book is both a love letter and a troubled meditation on the way children are raised in military families.
Notes From a Traveling Childhood
Foreign Service Youth Foundation, Washington DC
http://www.fsyf.org/publications.htm
· An anthology of writings by parents and children, educators, researchers and mental health professionals about the effects of international mobility on families.
DISSERTATIONS and PAPERS:
Military Brats/Third Culture Kids: A Phenomenological Study of the Effects of Being Raised in the Military
Doctoral Dissertation for Pacifica Graduate Institute
Patricia Shealy
Copyright Ó1993
· The military is a large, complex organization established for the purpose of training soldiers in the best and most effective ways to protect, fight, and defend our nation, even to death. How are children affected by the lived experiences of growing up inside a veritable war machine?
As Parents Go, So Go The Children: The Adjustment and Development of Military Children
Research Project Report for the US Air Force and US Navy
Family Research Center: Graduate School of Human Behavior
Edna J. Hunter and Robert A. Hickman
Written in 1981
· Identification with the military lifestyle and the rank structure within it provides a special status for the military child. Interest in the development of military children and the adjustments they must make appears to have begun during World War II, but until recently, attention paid to the topic has been minimal.
ARTICLES and JOURNALS:
Growing Up with a World View: Nomad Children Develop Multicultural Skills
Foreign Service Journal, September 1994, pp. 32 – 41
Norma M. McCaig
· I am acutely aware that had I not been given a childhood overseas, this mélange of memories from the old to the recent past would likely not exist. But they are indelibly part of my heritage as a “global nomad”, someone who has lived abroad as a child because of a parent’s job.
The Family Business – Children of Military Personnel
Airman, April 2001
Jim Greeley
Copyright Ó 2001
· Military “brats” grow up in a different world than their civilian counterparts, and they learn at an early age to cope with change, loss and travel.
A Military Brat’s Moving Life Story
Star-Telegram, February 25, 2003
Frank Perkins
· Marilyn Celeste Morris of Forth Worth is a military brat and proud of it. She grew up in a military family, living in places as exciting as Korea and Austria and as mundane as Lawton, Oklahoma and Killeen.
Military Children Have Wonderful Experiences, but Face Tough Challenges
American Forces Press Service, July 23, 2004
Rudi Williams
· Opportunities are unbounded for military children who trek the globe seeing different things and experiencing different cultures – opportunities other children will never have, according to Air Force Gen. Ralph E. "Ed" Eberhart.
Third Culture Lids Are Left a Complex Legacy
Article filed with Interaction International on September 22, 2003
http://www.tckinteract.net/militarykids.html
Robin Pascoe
· What happens when children who spend their formative years following expatriate parents from country to country grow up?
Adult “Brats” Wander: Military Lifestyle Becomes Ingrained
Article filed with Interaction International
http://www.tckinteract.net/militarykids.html
Mathew I. Pinzur
· Wanderlust is rampant in these “military brat alumni”, even decades after they enter the civilian world.
Rooted to Nowhere: Globe Hopping can be an emotional Strain on Expat Kids – but it can also bring them Lifelong Benefits
Article filed with Interaction International on Monday, October 6, 2003
(Article from the October 13, 2003 issue of TIME Asia Magazine)
Hanna Kite
· Whether their parents are missionaries or managing directors, almost all expat kids have a moment when they realize that their adopted home means as much, if not more, to them than their country of origin.
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
Being a Global Nomad: The Pros and Cons
World Weave Publications
Debra Carlson
Copyright Ó 1997
· When I use the term “global nomad(s)” I do so loosely to describe my own thoughts as one member of that groip. This is not an academic treatise on the subject – only a sketch of some elements of the experience I have found particularly noteworthy.
Phoenix Rising: A Question of Cultural Identity
World Weave Publications
Barbara F. Schaetti
· I don’t think of myself as “American.” Rather, I identify myself as an American-Swiss global nomad with a very European-influenced international background.
My First Move
Military Brats Online
http://www.militarybrats.com
Diane (Morency) Russell
· Personal “military brat” experience
Story of An Army Brat
Military Brats Online
http://www.militarybrats.com
Jensina Anderson
·Personal “military brat” experience
Where Is Home?
Military Brats Online
http://www.militarybrats.com
Lisa Anderschat
·Personal “military brat” experience
Another Generation of Brats
Military Brats Online
http://www.militarybrats.com
Wendy Jeffries
· Personal “military brat” experience
Military Brats – or the Legacy of Finding Home
Military Brats Online
http://www.militarybrats.com
Kathryn Elizabeth Kirk
· Personal “military brat” experience
Tweens: A Survival Guide for Parents of Pre-Teens
LifeLines Service Network
http://www.lifelines.navy.mil
Jensina Anderson
· A collection of personal “military brat” experiences
Military Teens on the Move
LifeLines Service Network
http://www.lifelines.navy.mil
Deb Trzcinski
· A collection of personal “military brat” experiences
Voices of the Military Child
LifeLines Service Network
http://www.lifelines.navy.mil
Barbara A. Eastom-Bates
· A collection of personal “military brat” experiences
Surviving as the New Kid on the Block: Coping with the First Day at School
LifeLines Service Network
http://www.lifelines.navy.mil
Jennifer Hochlan
· A collection of personal “military brat” experiences
October 13, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0)
SEAN P. CORCORAN
HIS 300 – INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL METHOD
OCTOBER 6, 2004
TYPEPAD POST #5 – TOPIC STATEMENT [PAPER-IN-PROGRESS]
“MILITARY BRATS”
Growing up in a Different World
by: Sean P. Corcoran
Over the past twenty-five years, our nation's military presence and diplomatic efforts in the world have intensified, and have become increasingly more important to our nation’s security. As a result, members of our armed forces, and their families, have been serving and living all over the world in greater numbers, as they protect our nation’s interests around the globe. Most military families move from country to country, from base to base, every few years, and many live abroad for over ten years without returning to the United States. As a former “State Department brat” who traveled the world and lived overseas (in eleven different countries over eighteen years) during my childhood, I am writing my research paper on how the childhood of “military brats” has been affected by the plight of the military family living abroad. In this paper I will cover both the positive and negative experiences of “military brats” living abroad, as I discuss a wide range of topics such as family life, personal relationships and friendships, adapting to different cultures, education (both formal education and personal education), social issues (alcohol and drug abuse, sex, and child abuse), assistance by peer groups (both civilian and military support groups) and re-adjustment (culture shock) upon returning stateside. As I analyze and discuss each topic, I will also compare these topics, and their issues, with the positive and negative experiences that I, and my siblings (one sister and two brothers), experienced while living abroad during our childhoods.
The world as we know it is defined by our personal experiences. Every experience in life accumulates and we use them to analyze, draw conclusions about, and form judgments of the world we live in. How an individual sees the world around them is different than that of the person standing next to them. Before discussing the experiences that affected “military brats” living abroad and how they affected their childhoods, I must first attempt to answer the question - What is a “military brat”? Ask this question to a group of “military brats” and each one would provide you with a different answer. Based on the extensive research I have done, a “military brat” can best be defined as an individual who (as a child) has spent a significant part of their developmental years (their childhood) in another culture (whether in a different state in the United States or in a different country abroad), as they follow their parent’s military career(s) across the globe. In an article for The Gateway, the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Student Newspaper, Crystal R. Reid describes her life as a military dependent in this statement – “I am a military brat by the purest definition: I learned to walk on the cobblestones of a small town in the Philippines, learned to ramble in the deep forests of Bavarian Germany, saw my first whale off the coast of Monterey, California. I landed my first job in a boutique on the corner streets of Cambridge, England and downed my first beer in the Seven Wives Pub in St. Ives, England. I've been to 15 different state fairs, as many elementary schools, one junior high school and three different high schools …” (Reid). As you can see from this example, “military brats” (military dependents) grow up and experience a different world compared to their civilian counterparts. Being a child raised in today’s society is tough, but being a child raised in a military family is even tougher. When a parent serves in the military, it isn't just a job - it is a lifestyle, where a parent’s devotion to military duty dictates the life of the family, and has a direct influence on the lives of their children.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
ROOTLESSNESS
·The sense of not belonging – “homeless”
·Loss of friendships and relationships (Letters, phone and email)
·Not feeling part of something – “absence of an identity”
·Emotional loss to a community (a way of life)
·Resistance to change
·Creation of Nomadic lifestyle (adjusting to constant change)
LONELINESS
·Frequent relocations – changing addresses every 2-3 years
·Loss of friends (and pets) – no lifetime (long-term) friendships
·“Orphan”
·Absent parents (physically and emotionally)
·No extended family
·Use of defense mechanisms
MILITARY DEPENDENT
·The “family” – moving as a unit
·Different culture, different challenges – overcoming challenges as a unit
·Family support and closeness out of necessity
·Childhood boundaries vs. parental boundaries (the mixing of the two)
·Mutual dependency – caring for the family
·Military upbringing – rules and regulations (discipline)
·Hard work and “controlling” (borderline oppression)
CULTURES
·Interaction, acceptance, and tolerance of other cultures
·Relationships with “cultural caregivers”
·Life experiences
·Introduction to diversity
·Ignorance vs. Innocence
ISSUES
·Alcohol and drug abuse (addiction)
·Experimentation
·Teenage Sex – teenage pregnancy
·Rage and anger – Depression
·Child abuse – emotional and physical abuse (feelings of “neglect”)
·Experience the “vices” – prostitution, gambling, nightlife
·Parent divorce and separation
READJUSTMENT/CULTURE SHOCK
·America – a different country
·Culture
·Fashion
·Life experiences
ADULTHOOD - SENSE OF SELF
·Identity – “Who am I?”
·Personality characteristics
·Handicapped by life experiences
·Control – without choice
·Commitment – relationships, jobs, community
ASSISTANCE
·Military support groups
·Post assistance
·Peer assistance
·Youth groups and activities
·Websites
·Discussion groups
·Books and Magazines
HISTORY OF CHILDHOOD
·Affects on childhood
·Relation to childhood in America vs. childhood abroad
October 06, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (18)
SEAN P. CORCORAN
HIS 300 - INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL METHOD
HISTORY OF CHILDHOOD
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2004
PROGRESS REPORT
SUBJECT: MILITARY BRATS
In looking at the last fifty years when our military presence and our diplomatic relationships in the world have intensified and has become more important, military families (as well as missionary, diplomatic, and business families) have been serving and living abroad in great numbers. Most move from country to country, from base to base, every few years, and many live abroad for over ten years without returning stateside. What interests me is the affect this has on the military dependents (children) as they move from place to place throughout their childhood. As a former State Department “brat” who traveled the world and lived overseas (in eleven different countries over eighteen years) through out my childhood, I plan on writing my research paper on how the childhood of “military brats” (military dependents) has been affected by the plight of the military family living abroad, both in the past and present.
Here is a rough outline of what I hope to cover in my paper. After reading some of the resources that I have acquired, these are the topic discussions I hope to cover.
MILITARY DEPENDENT
· The “family” – moving as a unit
· Different culture, different challenges – overcoming challenges as a unit
· Family support and closeness out of necessity
· Childhood boundaries vs. parental boundaries (the mixing of the two)
· Mutual dependency – caring for the family
· Military upbringing – rules and regulations (discipline)
· Hard work and “controlling” (borderline oppression)
CULTURES
· Interaction, acceptance, and tolerance of other cultures
· Relationships with “cultural caregivers”
· Life experiences
· Introduction to diversity
· Ignorance vs. Innocence
ROOTLESSNESS
· The sense of not belonging – “homeless”
· Loss of friendships and relationships (Letters, phone and email)
· Not feeling part of something – “absence of an identity”
· Emotional loss to a community (a way of life)
· Resistance to change
· Creation of Nomadic lifestyle (adjusting to constant change)
LONELINESS
· Frequent relocations – changing addresses every 2-3 years
· Loss of friends (and pets) – no lifetime (long-term) friendships
· “Orphan”
· Absent parents (physically and emotionally)
· No extended family
· Use of defense mechanisms
ISSUES
· Alcohol and drug abuse (addiction)
· Experimentation
· Teenage Sex – teenage pregnancy
· Rage and anger – Depression
· Child abuse – emotional and physical abuse (feelings of “neglect”)
· Experience the “vices” – prostitution, gambling, nightlife
· Parent divorce and separation
READJUSTMENT/CULTURE SHOCK
· America Culture – a different country
· Fashion
· Life experiences
ASSISTANCE
· Military support groups
· Post assistance
· Peer assistance
· Youth groups and activities
· Websites
· Discussion groups
· Books and Magazines
ADULTHOOD - SENSE OF SELF
· Identity – “Who am I?”
· Personality characterisitics
· Handicapped by life experiences
· Control – without choice
· Commitment – relationships, jobs, community
September 29, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0)
TOPICS - HISTORY OF CHILDHOOD
SEAN P. CORCORAN
HIS 300 – INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL METHODS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTMBER 22 2004
TYPEPAD POST #3
QUESTION:
List ten potential topics in the history of childhood that you have found interesting. Which of these appear to be the most doable, given the time and resources available to you?
Children and Sports – The child athlete growing up over the past sixty years – in our modern “win at all costs” society. Win or Lose. Practice makes perfect. Making the team. There is no I in team – there is NO we either.
Child Labor – Protecting our children from exploitation and abuse in the American workplace - the evolution of American child labor laws. Once an essential part of the economic household - now protected from exploitation and abuse by big business.
Separation and Divorce – The affects separation and divorce have on children and their childhoods.
The G.I. JOE Phenomenon – How the G.I. Joe action figures took America by storm. How every male child wanted not just one but every one created – as well as every accessory created. What was the idea behind G.I. Joe? Why was it so successful? Why did it appeal to male children?
The BARBIE Phenomenon – Every female child had to have the latest and greatest. Every accessory was a must have. What was the idea behind Barbie? Why was it so successful? Why did it appeal to female children?
Children and Fashion - Children as consumers of fashion over the past 20 years. Fashion trends, “label” conscious, and mass media. Why the evolution towards marketing clothing towards the child audience?
Disney Characters – How Disney brings animation to life as it tries to bridge the gap between fiction and fact – fantasy and reality – for children. The use of human and animal characters in animation.
Children and Games – From board games to video games - educational or a distraction to the growth of children? The evolution of children’s games during the 20th century.
Children’s Television Programming – The evolution of children’s television programming (such as cartoons and sitcoms) over the past fifty years directed toward the child audience.
Illegal Aliens – Children growing up without a country to call home. Living in American as an illegal immigrant child searching for the “American Dream”.
Frontier Children – Growing up on the frontier as Americans conquered the West.
Children and Candy – The evolution of candy over the past 100 years. How candy companies cater to the desires of children. So many choices to choose from. Experimentation of flavors.
Mixed Race Children – Growing up as a mixed race child in America over the past sixty years. Attitudes of society towards mixed race children.
Child Abuse – New term, old problem. Change in attitudes over time. Evolution of society towards child abuse since 1900.
September 22, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0)
SEAN P. CORCORAN
HIS 300 – INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL METHOD
SEPTEMBER 13, 2004
TYPEPAD POST #2
QUESTION:
Of the readings in Childhood in America (Part II) and in The Children’s Culture Reader (Part I), which three interested you the most? Of your interests, which one do you think might furnish the basis for your research paper? Why? What would you have to do or find to carry out the research for your paper?
I really enjoyed the readings in The Children’s Culture Reader, especially the following chapters in Part I:
· Chapter 6 of The Children’s Culture Reader, Seducing the Innocent: Childhood and Television in Postwar America (written by Lynn Spigel)
· Chapter 8 of The Children’s Culture Reader, The New Childhood: Home Alone As a Way of Life (written by Joe L. Kinchloe)
· Chapter 9 of The Children’s Culture Reader, Child Abuse and the Unconscious in America Popular Culture (written by Nancy Scheper-Hughes and Howard F. Stein)
In The Children’s Culture Reader, Part I, each chapter deals with a different social issue such as child abuse, child labor, racism and social influences. Each of the chapters I have highlighted above has provided me with a better understanding of some of the current childhood issues affecting our society today. I plan on writing my research paper on how the childhood of “military brats” (military dependents) has been affected by the plight of the military family living abroad, both in the past and present. I plan on trying to cover such information as family life, personal relationships and friendships, adapting to different cultures, education (both formal education and personal education), assistance by peer groups (both civilian and military support groups) and re-adjustment upon returning stateside. These chapters have provided me with a lot of useful insight into how a child can be affected by the society that they live in, which will be very helpful to me in searching for the right information to support my research paper.
In reading Chapter 6 of The Children’s Culture Reader, Seducing the Innocent: Childhood and Television in Postwar America (written by Lynn Spigel), I found it very interesting that the rapid integration of different forms of mass media into our culture (over the past sixty years) is a major reason for the seduction of our children’s innocence. In looking at the past, “It was the adult’s responsibility to generate moral values in the young by guarding the gates of knowledge. By doling out adult secrets only at the proper stages in child development, parents could ensure that children would carry the torch or progress for future generations (114).” The advancements made in mass media over the past sixty years have broken down the barriers that once protected our children from world.
In the past, our parents (as children living in the late 1940’s and 1950’s) did not have access to the world as we do today. During their childhoods, the television (and twenty-four hour programming) was just beginning to introduce itself into a majority of American households. At the time, the television was seen as an entertainment device (comedy and drama), not as a source of up-to-the minute news, or as an information tool. Newspapers and magazines concentrated on obtaining subscribers by providing the right amount of news and entertainment. Instead of highlighting the wrongs and rights of our society (and of the world) as they do today, the newspaper and magazine were seen as a source of nationalistic propaganda as we struggled with the Cold War.
Today, children have complete access to all of the raw aspects in our society. They can explore the Internet at will with hardly any safeguards to protect them from harmful content. Gambling, pornography, and fanatical websites allow our children to experience the “naked” world and its vices before they are able to comprehend them. Chat rooms allow our children to talk with strangers, which allows our children to become victims of abuse and crime because they are unaware of the harm that could come to them. They are influenced by cable television, as news channels strive to bring people closer to the action and as television shows (as well as movies) try to portray the real world. I am all for “freedom of the press” but I think our society has gone a bit far. Death, destruction, sex, violent crimes and offensive dialogues are just a few of the issues our children have to deal with in regards to what is portrayed and shown on television shows and in the movies.
No matter what form it comes in, “…mass media has been seen as a threatening force that circulates forbidden secrets to children, and that does so in so ways that parents and even the state cannot fully control (114).” The question is – Where do we draw the line? Somewhere in the process of change, we have forgotten that our children are influenced by the society that they live in. We have forgotten that by allowing the world into their homes, we are pushing our children to grow-up faster and for them to cope with experiences that in the past they would have been protected from experiencing until they were old enough to fully comprehend the situation in its entirety.
In reading Chapter 8 of The Children’s Culture Reader, The New Childhood: Home Alone As a Way of Life (written by Joe L. Kinchloe), I was very interested in how parents today are not involved in their children’s lives enough to see what is taking place around them. In my opinion, this statement provides an excellent point of view of the relationship between parents and their children today – “Americans don’t understand their children or the dynamics of children’s culture. Kids understand that adults just don’t get it, as they listen and watch adults express and act on their misunderstandings of the differences between generational experiences and mind-sets (163).” Parents just don’t get. They are blind to the influences that surround their children the moment they walk out the door. Parents see a world they used to live in that was full of respect, honesty, and trust. What they don’t see is a changed society that can damage their children’s growth and force them to experience the world before they can truly comprehend and define what is taking place.
Stated perfectly - “Children now know what only adults used to know: postmodern children are sexually knowledgeable and often sexually experienced; they understand and many have experimented with drugs and alcohol; and new studies show they often experience the same pressures (as adults)…, as they strive to manage the stresses of school, work at home, and interpersonal family dynamics (171).” The key word in this statement is “experience”. Being left home alone provides a perfect environment for children to experiment and experience all aspects of the culture that surrounds them. With little or no parental supervision, children grow up quickly and experience things at a much younger age. Left to fend for themselves for eight to ten hours a day, while their parents are at work, who can blame them for experiencing whatever may cross their path. And who can blame them when their parents (sometimes unknowingly) provide them the means to do so by giving them cars, cell phones, large allowances, credit cards, and their very own homes to do as they please with while they are not around.
In today’s society, parents are not involved in their children’s lives enough to see what is taking place. They realize that there is a very delicate boundary between their devotion to their work and to their family, but can’t (and in some cases won’t) do anything about it. Our parents are stuck between the need to work in order to provide their family with the means to exist comfortably or spending more time with their children in order to provide them with the necessary guidance and support that they need to cope with a constantly changing (and very influential) society. In the end, it’s the children that pay the price with the increased cost to survive in today’s world. Innocence is lost, as experience is gained - but is it worth it?
In reading Chapter 9 of The Children’s Culture Reader, Child Abuse and the Unconscious in America Popular Culture (written by Nancy Scheper-Hughes and Howard F. Stein), I was very interested that child abuse is seen as a result of the change our society has been witnessing over the past decade rather than a recent social issue that needs to be addressed to protect our children from harm. As seen in this statement, “…the anxiety about child abuse is, in part, the displaced expression of anxiety about the many changes our society has undergone with respect to sex roles, sexuality, and family life. There is a growing tendency to question the wisdom of these changes and to attribute social problems to them. There is a fear that we, as a nation, have moved to far and too fast in refashioning the family, and that the ‘epidemics’ of child abuse and incest are the unfortunate, but somewhat predictable, consequences (182)”, we often ignore the consequences that change may bring. We forget to look at the big picture and what the effect of change will be on all parts of our society.
For example, child abuse has only recently (and only in particular countries and cultures) come to be seen as a major social problem and a main cause of many people's suffering and personal problems (in their adulthood). Throughout history, there is evidence that children have been abused, but what we must remember is that child abuse as we see it today (by creating legal definitions and by creating government agencies to protect our children from harm and to conduct research studies on the effects child abuse) is a product of change – or how our society has evolved and changed through time. For the first time in history, we are beginning to face the true prevalence and significance of child abuse and the effects it has on our society.
What I found the most interesting about this section though, is how we define child abuse. In today’s society, we use the term loosely and most of the time, we do not protect our children from harm unless the abuse is violent or criminal (such as molestation or physical abuse). As the text states, “…there is a moral subtlety or ambiguity, and a wish for decisive action, a simple definition of the problem, and clean solutions (186)”. We solve the problem by sweeping it under the rug. By being quick and decisive in our actions, we do nothing to find a solution to the problem expect punish the offender and console the victim. But what about other forms of child abuse, such as neglect and emotional abuse that can sometimes remain undetected to society - Are they not equally important to take action against? In combating neglect and emotional abuse, it seems that we struggle to see the symptoms until it’s too late to help the child, but the result is the same. A child is scarred for life. Their innocence is lost and their lives will be changed forever.
As discussed above, we can clearly see from the readings from The Children’s Culture Reader, that children today are the result of the society they live in. Children are shaped by what surrounds them on a daily basis. They are influenced and affected by what they see, what they hear, and by what they experience. Today, our children have a free ticket to experience the world as fast as they can without worrying about the harm it may cause them or that they might not fully understand what is taking place. There lies the problem, without much of a solution. This is what interests me the most about childhood.
In looking at the last fifty years when our military presence and our diplomatic relationships in the world have intensified and has become more important, military families (as well as missionary, diplomatic, and business families) have been serving and living abroad in great numbers. Most move from country to country, from base to base, every few years, and many live abroad for over ten years without returning stateside. What interests me is the affect this has on the military dependents (children) as they move from place to place throughout their childhood. As a former State Department “brat” who traveled the world and lived overseas (in eleven different countries over eighteen years) through out my childhood, I plan on writing my research paper on how the childhood of “military brats” (military dependents) has been affected by the plight of the military family living abroad, both in the past and present.
To answer the question - “What would you have to do or find to carry out the research for your paper?” - I plan on trying to cover such information as:
· Family life – How the military family is affect by living abroad. The relationships between parents and their children. Military parenting. Childhood experiences – seeing the world.
· Personal relationships and friendships – Building childhood friendships and relationships. The affects of moving from country to country every couple of years and leaving friends behind. Starting over and fitting in. New people, new places. Changing one’s identity. Long distance friendships. Long-term affects.
· Adapting to different cultures – A new way of life – either more restrictive or more lenient attitudes (each country is different). Different cultures bring different challenges – such as language barriers, cultural differences, religious beliefs, and social structures. Adapting to new surroundings.
· Education (both formal education and personal education) – Different school systems brings different learning styles and expectations. More or less opportunity. Advantages and disadvantages. Language and cultural education. “Street” knowledge such as survival, interaction, and adjustment.
· Assistance by peer groups (both civilian and military support groups) – Support groups from the different military and government departments. Adjustment assistance to new surroundings upon arrival by peers. Child Services. Websites to cope with change. Discussion groups and field trips. Activities and social gatherings.
· Re-adjustment upon returning stateside - Different cultures bring different challenges – returning to the United States is not always easy. American fashion. American culture. American education. Public transportation and accessibility. Starting over and fitting in. New people, new places.
· Adulthood – Where are you now? Traveler or Homebody? Pros and Cons of experiences. Affects on life.
September 22, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (1)
SEAN P. CORCORAN
HIS 300 – INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL METHOD
SEPTEMBER 7, 2004
TYPEPAD POST #1
Posted on TypePad.com twice on 9/3/04 and 9/7/04. Deleted and edited both times. Posted again 9/13/04
QUESTION:
Of the readings in Conflicting Paths: Growing up in America, which two interested you the most? Of your interests, which ones do you think might furnish the basis for your research paper? What would you have to do or find to carry out the research for your paper?
In reading Conflicting Paths: Growing up in America, Chapter 5, The Beat of Different Drummers into the 20th Century, and Chapter 6, The Disappearance of Childhood in Our Own Time?, interested me the most. I thought this statement in the Preface summed up the underlying message in this text beautifully - “The images of the past on which we base our judgments of the present are seldom the kinds of useful guides we need. Always emotionally powerful, they are seldom often surprisingly fragile when examined closely (Preface xi).” Time changes everything. Children grow up in the society that they live in and are influenced by that which surrounds them. Issues such as class, race, and gender (as well as religion, demography, and geology) affect the way a child grows up. Different times bring different issues to be confronted. As time changes, so does society, which in turn directly affects children as they grow-up and mature. What might have been in the past is not necessarily true in the present.
In looking at Chapter 5, The Beat of Different Drummers into the 20th Century, I found it very interesting that children grow-up differently based on the society that they live in. As I mentioned above, time changes everything. During the turn of the century, every aspect of our society was buzzing with change. Urbanization was beginning to take place as thousands fled the countryside and stormed cities in search of work and opportunity. Industrialization was growing steadily across the nation as new inventions fueled mass production and the need for cheap labor. The biggest change during this time was the increased disparity between the classes, as the working class began to expand rapidly. And at the center of it all, hiding in the shadows, was the affect it had on family life and more importantly children, as families were uprooted and on the move in able to survive. This statement says it all – “Children…, at once the hope of tomorrow and the fear of today, symbolize the resurgence of reform (303).” Reform and change was everywhere and children were just caught in the tide. Society was growing bigger and bigger with more opportunities to influence the growth of children. Children were introduced to a new and exciting world. They were introduced to new environments full of issues and problems that cut across social class lines (such as social class conflicts, ethnicity and racism, social issues - such as crime and poverty, and gender equality) – that in the past were not so apparent in the eyes of children. They weren’t only seeing it - they began living it.
In looking at Chapter 6, The Disappearance of Childhood in Our Own Time?, I found it very interesting that children today are the result of modernization and the atmosphere that it has created. “Few problems are so poorly understood as those relating to children…this stems from the combined impact of dominant images, myths, theories, expectations, fears, and aspirations (330).” In today’s society we put tremendous pressure on our children to succeed. We punish children for their missteps and failures instead of supporting them and assisting them with their issues and problems. At the same time I agree that our children are a product of the society that we live in and are affected by the modernization around us. We allow our children every means of distraction that can be had because we have the means to do so. Instead of reading a book or learning, our children would rather watch television or play video games. Instead of using a computer as a learning tool, they use it as a means of communication. Children today have more opportunities to see what is taking place around them. With every form of media providing news and opinions about any and everything, children today are not shielded from society as they once were. They grow-up way to fast and sometimes try to act older than they truly are (or even should be). Children have lost their innocence. Basically, they have escaped their leashes and have set out to explore the world for themselves regardless of the consequences. And in today’s world – who can blame them?
The information provided in Chapter 6 has furnished me the basis or rather the idea for of my research paper. As discussed above children today are the result of modernization and the atmosphere that it has created. In looking at the last 50 years when our military presence and our diplomatic relationships in the world have intensified and has become more important, military families (as well as missionary, diplomatic, and business families) have been serving and living abroad in great numbers. Most move from country to country, from base to base, every few years, and many live abroad for over ten years without returning stateside. What interests me is the affect this has on the military dependents (children) as they move from place to place throughout their childhood. As a former State Department “brat” who traveled the world and lived overseas (in eleven different countries over eighteen years) through out my childhood, I plan on writing my research paper on how the childhood of “military brats” (military dependents) has been affected by the plight of the military family living abroad, both in the past and present. I plan on trying to cover such information as family life, personal relationships and friendships, adapting to different cultures, education (both formal education and personal education), assistance by peer groups (both civilian and military support groups) and re-adjustment upon returning stateside.
Where to start? Good question. The first thing that I would have to do to carry out the research for my paper is to define a rough outline of what my paper will be about and what supporting arguments I am going to cover. What is my topic? What will be my supporting arguments? Once I have a general idea of what I am going to write about, I need to find and make sure there is sufficient information available concerning my topic. I need to start from the bottom up, beginning with my bibliography. I plan on trying to find as many different types of resources so that I am covering as much ground as possible. The resources I plan on exploring are - texts written by subject matter experts, personal accounts from former and present “military brats”, peer group and military support group materials, personal diaries (if they can be found), essays written by children while in school abroad, personal oral interviews (if possible), movies and documentaries, and newspaper and magazine articles covering my topic. Some resources I plan to explore may lead me to a dead-end, while others may bring me an abundance of information. But finding the information is the key for me to write a successful and informative research paper. From there it’s all about organization and using the information where it can do the most in support of my research paper.
September 13, 2004 in Books | Permalink | Comments (1)
