50:070:308
Children and Childhood: Cross-Cultural Perspective
Spring
2008
Distinguished Professor of
Anthropology
CHILDREN AND CHILDHOODS: A CROSS-CULTURAL
PERSPECTIVE
Overview
In
this course we look at the lives of children and childhoods throughout the
world. Of particular concern are the everyday lives of children, their lived
experiences in various social and cultural contexts. We examine changing patterns in family life,
education and child labor. Attention will be given to the challenges children
face as a result of poverty, violence, and poor healthcare. We consider not
only what adults are doing in the face of these challenges, but also what
children themselves are doing. In this course “the experts” include
researchers, professionals, policy makers and the children themselves.
Learning
Outcomes
(1) At the end of this course you
will have an understanding of:
·
The significance of change and diversity in
childhood from birth-18 , related to such factors as gender, ethnicity,
disability, family circumstances, economic and political context
·
The contributions made by a range of academic
disciplines to the study of childhood
·
How children both shape and are shaped by their
circumstances
(2) You will have the ability to:
·
Study written texts and audio-visual materials
about children and childhood critically
·
Critically evaluate arguments and evidence from
a variety of sources
·
Carry out analyses of children’s daily lives as
well as the ways in which they and other adults (e.g. parents, teachers, policy
makers) talk about children’s lives
·
Link academic studies to personal knowledge and
experience
·
Relate case studies of individual children to
wider economic, political social and cultural issues
Class
Organization:
The class will be divided into six
project groups. Each student remains in
his/her assigned project group for the entire semester.
Requirements:
(1)
Five research projects (see below):
·
Due Dates:
2-12, 2-26, 3-11, 4-8, 4-22
·
Due at the start of class.
·
Papers must be presented in person. No electronic papers accepted.
(2) Required questionnaire due on the
first and last day of class (completed in class).
(3)
All students must have a
Research Projects:
Research projects will involve interviews
with children and adolescents and, in some cases, parents and teachers.
For each project:
(1) You will turn in 7 copies of a written report
(2) You will, with
members of your
project group, analyze the results of yours and your classmates’ case study.
(3) Your project
group will make a class presentation with appropriate audio-visual materials
Guidelines for each project and
presentation will be provided
Papers are due at the start of class on
day due so that you and your project group can analyze the results of your
study and prepare the presentation for the following class.
Grades:
Each project will be worth 20% of your
grade, or 20 points. Of that 20 points, 10 points will come from your individual
paper and 10 points from your group presentation. However, if you fail to turn in a paper you
cannot receive credit for group analysis and presentation. Similarly, you must be present when your
group does the analysis and presentation to receive credit.
Course
Materials:
·
Janet Maybin & Martin Woodhead (eds) Childhoods in Context Wiley/Open Univ Press 2003
·
Heather Montgomery, Rachel Burr & Martin
Woodhead (eds) Changing Childhoods: Local
and Global Wiley/Open Univ Press 2003
(Note: The chapters we are using from
this book will be placed on e-reserve.
You do not need to purchase this text.)
·
Transcripts of Videos: Distributed via Email
from Bluebond-Langner or Valentine
·
Small tape recorder
How
to Reach Bluebond-Langner:
Phone:
856 225 6740/6470 (Sherry Pisacano, Dept Sec’y)
Fax:
6435
e-mail: bluebond@camden.rutgers.edu
How
to Reach Deb Valentine (research associate):
Phone: 856-225-2805
Email: dvalenti@camden.rutgers.edu
CLASS
|
DATE & UNIT |
CLASSWORK |
ASSIGNMENTS |
|
|
1-22: Introduction to Course |
Lecture and Questionnaire |
Questionnaire |
Note: For each unit all reading should be
completed by the first day of the unit. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1-24 to 2-10: Immersion into the World of Children and
Childhood |
·
Lecture: Child
hood and Anthropological Concepts ·
Video
Documentation: Video1, Band1: Children
on Childhood ·
Video
Documentation: Video 2, Band 1: Daily Lives ·
Video
Documentation: Video 1, Band 2: Brian
and Karen |
Assignment 1: ‘Daily Lives of Children’ will be
distributed on 1-31 |
Transcripts and Film
Guides: ·
Children on
Childhood ·
Brian and Karen ·
Daily Lives |
|
2-12 |
Work Group Analysis and
Class Presentations |
Paper 1 ‘Daily Lives of
Children’ due in class, 7 copies |
|
|
2-14 |
Lecture: Integration of Results of Individual
Projects with reading. and videos |
Group Presentation: ‘Daily
Lives of Children’ |
|
|
2-19 to 2-21: Unit 9: Family, Kinship and Beyond |
·
Video
Documentation: Video 2, Band 1: Kinship ·
Lecture: Family
Kinship and Beyond |
Assignment ‘Families’will be distributed on 2-19. |
Text: Childhoods in
Sections and ·
1 ·
2, including
rdg. B ·
4 ·
5, including
rdg.C ·
6 Transcript and Film
Guide: Kinship |
|
2-24 |
Work Group Analysis and
Class Presentations |
Paper 2, ‘Families’ due in
class, 7 copies. |
|
|
2-26 |
Lecture: Integration of Results of Individual
Projects with reading. and videos |
Group Presentation:
‘Families’ |
|
|
3-4 to 3-6: Unit 11: Children and School |
·
Lecture:
Children and Schooling ·
Video
Documentation: Video 2, Band 3: Testing Children |
Assignment 3, ‘Testing’
distributed on 3-4 |
Text: Childhoods
in Sections and ·
1 ·
2 ·
3 ·
4 including
rdg. A ·
5 including
rdg. B ·
6 Transcript and Film
Guide: ‘Testing Children’ |
|
3-11 |
Work Group Analysis and
Class Presentations |
Paper 3, ‘Testing’ due in
class, 7 copies. |
|
|
3-13 |
Lecture: Integration of Results of Individual
Projects with reading. and videos |
Group presentation:
‘Testing’ |
|
|
3-18 to 3-20: SPRING BREAK |
NO CLASS per university
calendar |
|
|
|
3-25 to 4-3: Unit 12, Children and Work |
·
Video
Documentation: Video 2, Band 4: Children at Work ·
Video
Documentation: ·
Lecture:
Children and Work |
Assignment 4 ‘Working Adolescent
Interview’ distributed on 4-1 |
Text: Childhoods
in Sections 1-7 Transcript and Film
Guide: ‘Children at Work’ |
|
4-8 |
Work Group Analysis and
Class Presentations |
Paper 4 ‘Working Adolescent
Interview’ due in class, 7 copies. |
|
|
4-10 |
Lecture: Integration of Results of Individual
Projects with reading. and videos |
Group Presentation:
‘Adolescent Interview’ |
|
|
4-15 to 4-17: Unit 25, Children, Poverty and Social Inequality |
·
Video
Documentation: Video 4, Band 2, ‘Kelly and Her Sisters’ ·
Lecture: Child
Poverty and Social Inequality |
Assignment 5, ‘What are
Luxuries?’ distributed on 4-15 |
Text: Changing
Childhoods, (on e-reserve) Transcript and Film
Guide: ‘Kelly and Her Sisters’ |
|
4-22 |
Work Group Analysis and
Class Presentations |
Assignment 5, ‘What are
Luxuries?’ due in class, 7 copies |
|
|
4-24 |
Lecture: Integration of Results of Individual
Projects with reading. and videos |
Group Presentation: ‘What
Are Luxuries?’ |
|
|
4-29: Child
Soldiers |
Guest Speaker: Dr. David Rosen |
|
TBA |
|
5-1: Child Participation |
|
Final Questionnaire |
TBA |
|
|
|
|
|
Assignment
1: Daily Lives of Children and
Adolescents, A Visual Perspective
Purpose:
1)
To understand the places children go and things
they do in a ‘normal week’.
2)
To give you the opportunity to practice a
research method that is commonly used in anthropology and childhood studies to
gain access to a child’s perspective
3)
To increase your understanding of a specific
child’s perspective on his or her life
4)
To provide opportunity to improve skills in
analysis of data.
Method:
You will meet with one child or adolescent
between the ages of 8 and 15(hereafter referred to as the subject) and ask
him/her to draw a picture of important places and activities in his/her
life. You will then ask the subject to
tell you about his/her drawing.
Steps:
1)
Think
of a subject that you might be able to meet with for this project.
2)
Obtain
consent from parent or guardian and assent from the child using the supplied
forms.
3)
Set
up time and place to meet.
4)
Save
all contact information (phone, address, email)
5)
Make
sure you have tape recorder, batteries, and tape (if needed)
6)
Secure
drawing materials.
7)
At
the meeting:
·
Start
tape recorder as soon as you sit down with the subject to record the entire
session
·
Ask
the subject to draw a picture of where s/he went and what s/he did this week
·
Tell
the subject they can label if they want to
·
Tell
the subject the drawings don’t need to be beautiful, you just want to see what
they think
·
When
the subject completes the drawing ask him/her to describe the drawing to you.
·
Elicit
from the subject what the activities and places are that s/he has drawn and why
they are important (note: a direct
question may not work)
·
Ask,
is there anything else?
8)
Assign
and keep a record of the pseudonym you assign to the subject (first and last name). In the paper and presentations use the
pseudonym.
9)
Write
paper using supplied template
10)
Make
7 copies of your paper (including the drawing) and bring all copies with you to
class.
Assignment 1:
Daily Lives of Children and Adolescents, A
Visual Perspective
Class Discussion and Analysis
GROUP ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Group 1: Gender and Activity
2. Group 2: Gender and Place
3. Group 3: Race/Ethnicity and Activity
4. Group 4: Race/Ethnicity and Place
5. Group 5: Age and Activity
6. Group 6: Age and Place
GROUP PRESENTATION
1. Tabulation of assigned
variables. Note: Make sure every place/activity is listed in
your tabulation even if it is mentioned only once. Review paper content, not just drawings for
your tabulations.
Ex:
|
|
|
Boys |
Girls |
|
Playground |
|
10 |
5 |
|
School |
|
7 |
7 |
|
Place of Worship |
|
4 |
12 |
|
Grocery Store |
|
5 |
5 |
2. Identify Patterns in tabulated
responses.
Ex: More boys than girls mentioned playgrounds.
CLASS DISCUSSION will
address:
·
Problems you
encountered
·
Use of children’s
drawings in research? (e.g. What do they tell you and what do they leave out? How do you compare them?)
·
Differences and
similarities between your subjects and the children in the films.
·
Sources and
causes of the differences and similarities
Children’s Daily Lives: Paper Guidelines
Name:
Date:
Assignment:
|
Subject pseudonym: |
||||
|
Age |
Grade in school |
Gender |
Race/Ethnicity |
Socio/Economic Group |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. What activities did the subject draw?
2. Were there any activities that the subject mentioned in the discussion that are not in the picture? If so, what were they?
3. What activities did you expect the children to draw and discuss? Did they draw and discuss what you expected?
4. What did they say in the discussion that you didn’t expect?
5. What places did the subject draw?
6. Were there any places that the subject mentioned in the discussion that are not in the picture? If so, what were they?
7. What places did you expect the children to draw and discuss? Did they draw and discuss what you expected?
8. What places did they put in the drawing that you didn’t expect?
9. How would you characterize the drawing in terms of:
a. Detail
b. Style
c. Use of Color
d. Format
10. How did you determine the subject’s race/ethnicity?
11. How did you determine the subject’s socio/economic group?
12. Compare and contrast (i.e. how are they similar, how are they different) the daily activities of your subject with the daily activities of two of the children in the films who are closest in age to your subject. For example, if your subject is 8 years old, compare with Joshua and Brian. If your subject is thirteen, compare with Yasir and Yamin and Stephen. (Note: Because Yasir and Yamin answer together, they would not be counted separately for the purposes of this exercise.)
13. What do you see as the source or cause of the differences and similarities between the life of your subject and the lives of the children we viewed in the films? Explain your reasoning.