SCY2251

Sociology of childhood

Naomi White

8 points - 3 hours per week - First semester - Caulfield - Prerequisites: First-year SCY sequence or equivalent

Objectives The aim of this subject is to enable students to critically examine contemporary understandings of, and relations with children; provide students with the opportunity to consider how and why these understandings and relations have changed over time; provide students with the opportunity to critically examine research which documents various aspects of children's experience; and enable students to develop research skills through the completion of a project which investigates children's definitions and understandings of their social status.

Synopsis The major areas that this subject will look at are childhood as a social construction; the history of definitions of childhood; theoretical perspectives on childhood; childbearing as a social imperative; the rights of children; the culture of childhood; children and the state; children, parents and divorce.

Assessment Essay (3000 words): 40% - Project (2500 words): 40% - Seminar summary and presentation (500 words): 20%

Recommended texts

Franklin B (ed.) The rights of children Basil Blackwell, 1986
James A and Prout A (eds) Constructing and reconstructing childhood: Contemporary issues in the sociological study of childhood Falmer, 1990

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