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; enable students to develop research skills through the completion of a project which investigates children's definitions and understandings of their social status.

Synopsis 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