This essay aims to show the ways in which dominant ideologies, about childhood, family and society, might be developed and reinforced by social institutions.

The philosopher Destutt de Tracy (1754-1836) to describe his proposal for a science of ideas coined ideology. Today the term is used typically to describe any set of beliefs that support sectional interests. The prevailing ideologies in society are likely to reflect and justify interests of the dominant (class, political, or religious) groups.

The term implies that ideological beliefs are in some way exaggerations or distortions of reality. Several individual uses of the term have emerged in different political theories (e.g. Marxism).

The term dominant ideology means the principal ideas, values and morals in a given society. It is a particular version of reality but only one of a number of possible versions. These ideas may, however, be so well established that members of society believe them to be naturally given and beyond

Reconstructed family unit is a combination of two previously lone-parent families (stepfamily), or a family created following the marriage/ remarriage of a lone parent.

The definition of a family is a social group, comprising parents, their offspring’s, and in some societies other relatives sharing the same household (the extended family); or more generally a domestic group made up of people related to one another by bonds of blood, sexual mating and legal ties.

This study argues that different cultures have different definitions of childhood, as here in Britain we define childhood as a time when people are too young to work, most of the cultures in this study seem to think differently.

The nature of children’s experiences is greatly affected by the economy and culture in which they grow up.

Some topics in this essay:
Taylor Woods, UK Nuclear, Town USA, Philippe Aries, Factory Act, , Britain Western, James Bulger, Cultures Project’, John Whiting, oates 1994, concept childhood, woods 1998, taylor woods, taylor woods 1998, argued concept childhood, social institutions, definition family, extended family, particular nature, cultures study, socially constructed,