Childhood and tween girl culture: family, media and locality

Explores the ways in which notions of childhood are being influenced by a rapidly expanding consumer-media culture in the 21st Century.

It has been argued that new stages of childhood are being created and defined by children's role as consumers.

The concept of 'tween', girls aged between 9 and 14, has generated the greatest debate.

While the fantasy world of 'tween' offers girls a space to fashion a young, feminine identity it has been widely argued that the consumer-media's messages pressure tween girls to consume and adopt highly sexualised appearances and behaviours.