Pricing the Priceless Child - The Changing Social Value of Children

In this landmark book, sociologist Viviana Zelizer traces the emergence of the modern child, at once economically "useless" and emotionally "priceless," from the late 1800s to the 1930s. Having established laws removing many children from the marketplace, turn-of-the-century America was discovering new, sentimental criteria to determine a child's monetary worth. The heightened emotional status of children resulted, for example, in the legal justification of children's life insurance policies and in large damages awarded by courts to their parents in the event of death. A vivid account of changing attitudes toward children, this book dramatically illustrates the limits of economic views of life that ignore the pervasive role of social, cultural, emotional, and moral factors in our marketplace world.

Sommario

Info autore

Viviana A. Zelizer
With a new preface by the author

Riassunto

In this landmark book, sociologist Viviana Zelizer traces the emergence of the modern child, at once economically "useless" and emotionally "priceless," from the late 1800s to the 1930s. Having established laws removing many children from the marketplace, turn-of-the-century America was discovering new, sentimental criteria to determine a child's monetary worth. The heightened emotional status of children resulted, for example, in the legal justification of children's life insurance policies and in large damages awarded by courts to their parents in the event of death. A vivid account of changing attitudes toward children, this book dramatically illustrates the limits of economic views of life that ignore the pervasive role of social, cultural, emotional, and moral factors in our marketplace world.

Testo aggiuntivo

"[Zelizer's book] is an imaginative work on an important topic, which will surely find an appreciative audience among historians."---Nancy Tomes, Reviews in American History

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Viviana Zelizer, Viviana A Rotman Zelizer, Viviana A. Zelizer, Viviana A.rotman Zelizer, Zelizer Viviana A.
• Editore: Princeton University Press
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Tascabile
• Pubblicazione: 22.09.1994
• EAN: 9780691034591
• ISBN: 978-0-691-03459-1
• Pagine: 296
• Dimensioni: 140 mm x 210 mm x 19 mm
• Categorie: Libri scolastici > Didattica > Formazione professionale; Scienze sociali, diritto, economia > Sociologia > Teorie sociologiche; USA, 20th Century, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Children's Studies, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, Social and cultural history, United States of America, USA, Age groups: children, Age groups: adolescents