Infant as idea : the birth of a new composite person

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Joshua R Kelley (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Steve Kroll-Smith

Abstract: "The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the evolution of "infant" as a composite person in the first decade of the twentieth century. Data for this inquiry comes from the New York Times and the Washington Post newspapers. A content analysis was performed on articles containing infant as their main subject in these two venues between 1900 and 1910. Infant, it appears, emerged as a distinct category of being in the world by 1910. During this decade the "infant" was given a soul, their own category in mortality statistics, and additional legislation protecting their well-being. Prior to this time religious, scientific, political and other status holders were likely to use "infant", "baby" and "child" interchangeably. By 1910 the infant was becoming solidly abstract scientific and statistical idea while baby was coming to refer to the flesh and blood entity only."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2006
Keywords
infant, composite person, twentieth century, New York Times, Washington Post, soul, mortality statistics,
Subjects
Sociology--Terminology--History--20th century
Personalism--Terminology--History--20th century
Infants
Children--History

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