.
"Within any one culture, any one person's ideas of what childhood and a child are may vary according to their class, their gender, their ethnicity, and, of course, their own experiences and inclinations" (Oates, 1994, p.3).
The concept of childhood and the lives of children have changed over the centuries in Britain and in Western society.
Over the times, historians have viewed children as being innocent and in need of protection, whilst others see them as "devils" needing controls and strict discipline. .
The James Bulger case represents both these opposing views.
In the medieval period some historians, notably Philippe Aries, have argued that there was no concept of childhood. Children were regarded as miniature adults, with all the capacities of intellect and personality that implies.
However, Aries pointed out that:.
"this is not to suggest that children were neglected, forsaken or despised. The idea of childhood is not to be confused with affection for children; it corresponds to an awareness of the particular nature of childhood, that particular nature which distinguishes the child from the adult, even the young adult. In medieval society this awareness was lacking. That is why, as soon as the child could live without the constant solicitude of his mother, his nanny or his cradle rocker, he belonged to adult society." Aries, 1962, p.125 (Oates, 1994, p. 6).
Many criticisms have been made about Aries work, as his conclusions about medieval society that were based on the study of medieval pictures and diaries, which showed no distinction between childhood and adults- they shared similar activities and often the same type of work. People argued that these paintings did not necessarily represent how society actually thought about childhood. .
Pollock (1983) and Shahar (1990) both argued that the concept of childhood did exist in the central and late medieval periods.
Pollock revealed examples of parents enjoying the company of their children at least from the sixteenth century onwards.