Washington
State University
Barry S. Hewlett (hewlett@vancouver.wsu.edu)
Spring
2008
Office: MMC 202R Office Hours: TTH 11-12.
Anthropology
302--Childhood and Culture (K)
This
course provides an anthropological view of infancy, childhood and
adolescence. An anthropological approach
provides a holistic view of the child in that the roles of culture, history,
biology, environment and political economy are considered in explaining and
understanding children's behavior and children's views of the world.
Anthropological studies of children around the world and selected ethnic groups
in the U.S. are utilized to evaluate Western theories of children's motor,
mental, social, emotional and moral development.
The
course aims to: 1) place Western theories of child development (i.e., physical,
cognitive, and social-emotional-moral development) in comparative context; 2)
provide students with a framework for understanding and evaluating childhood in
any cultural context; 3) demonstrate how culture impacts our views and
practices towards children; 4) identify relationships between biology, natural
and social environments, political economy and culture that influence
children's' development and caregiving; and, 5) provide students with
cross-cultural methods and theories for evaluating the directions and future of
infant, child and adolescent development.
Holistic ethnographic studies will be utilized to emphasize the
diversity of forces that influence human development.
Required Texts:
Intimate
Fathers
by Barry Hewlett
At Home in the Street: Street Children of
Northeast Brazil
by Tobias Hecht
Exams/Grades:
|
3
Exams |
150
points (3 @ 50 points each) |
|
Participation |
10
points |
|
Birth
and Bonding Assignment |
10
points |
|
Reflections
assignments/quizzes |
20
points |
|
Short
Field Study |
20
points |
|
TOTAL |
210
points |
The
exams consist of multiple choice and short answer essay questions. The exams are based upon the lectures,
discussions, films, and readings.
Two
or three times during the semester students will be asked to reflect upon what
they have learned in the last two to three weeks. These are one-to-two page
papers (can be hand written) where students consider what they have learned in
relation to their personal life, how the class links to their major, or their
understanding of self and others. These will be worth five points each.
Pop
quizzes on reading material due for the class period are always possible. They
can be worth one-to-five points.
The
cross-cultural birth and bonding assignment is a project in which students
select a culture from the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) and conduct a study
of birth and bonding in that culture. Students will be trained how to use HRAF.
Each student will conduct a brief
“field” study that involves interviewing children or adults about their
views and perceptions of children. The results of the study need to be
discussed in the context of topics discussed in class. The paper should be no
longer than four double-spaced pages and students. Students will also provide a
five minute oral presentation on the results of their study.
Disability
Accommodation
Accommodations may be available if you need them
in order to fully participate in this class because of a disability.
Accommodations may take some time to implement so it is critical that you
contact Disability Services as soon as possible. All accommodations
must be approved through Disability Services, located in the Student
Resource Center on the Lower Level of VSSC. (360) 546-9138
Academic
integrity
Cheating
in any form or plagiarism will not be tolerated. Plagiarism means using other
people’s work and claiming them to be your own. The first time you are caught
plagiarizing any portion of an assignment you will receive an “F” on the
assignment and a possible failing grade in the course. Any
student caught cheating on any assignment will be given an “F” for the course. Infractions will be
reported to the Office of Student Conduct and entered into your permanent
student record. Two such reports may results in expulsion from the University.
January
8 Introduction, discuss syllabus and
anthropological approach to children
10
What is culture and how does culture influence middle-class Euro-American views
of children?
Film:
Caterpillar Moon
READ:
Hewlett, Chapts. 1-3
15
Overview of Aka culture as related to father-child relations
READ:
Hewlett, Chapts 4-6
17
Attachment theory and fathers, factors that impact father-child relations
READ:
Hewlett, Chapt. 7
22
The anthropological perspective to childhood, application to father study,
updated studies of father-child relations
READ:
Hewlett, Chapts. 8-9
24
Who cares for infants and young children—mother primacy or multiple care? What
is cooperative breeding?
READ:
S. Hrdy, “Comes the child before the man” and Konner, “Hunter-gatherer infancy”
on instructor’s website
29
Evolutionary approaches to children: parental investment theory, inclusive
fitness theory, parent-offspring conflict theory, Trivers-Willard hypothesis,
life history theory
READ:
Wikipedia descriptions of these topics
31
Evolutionary approaches to children continued, why does childhood exist,
prepare for exam
READ:
Mardu children article on instructor’s website
February
5
FIRST EXAM
7
Social-emotional development in children, introduction to attachment theory,
cross-cultural studies of attachment
READ:
“Internal Working Models) (listed as Kinship IWM; start on page 9) paper on
instructor’s website
Bretherton,
Inge. The origins of attachment theory
Distribute
Birth and Bonding Assignment
12
Birth, bonding, breast-feeding in cross-cultural perspective
DUE:
Birth and Bonding Assignment
14
Cosleeping and infant crying
READ: Morelli, Gilda A. et al. 1992. “Cultural Variation in
Infants’ Sleeping Arrangements: Question of Independence. “Developmental
Psychology, 28(4) 604-613.
21
Watch videos “Quantum Documentary (do not need to
watch sleep videos at end)” and “Recent Bedsharing Interview” with Dr. Jim
McKenna at the following website: http://www.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/index.html
26
Weaning and daycare in cross-cultural perspective
READ:
Fouts et al. 2001. “Weaning and the nature of early childhood interactions
among the Bofi Foragers in Central Africa”. Human Nature, 12, 27-46.
28
Culture as a provider of settings for child development; the developmental
niche; cultural adaptationist views of children: John and Beatrice Whiting,
Robert LeVine, Charles Super and Sara Harkness
Distribute
field assignment
March
4
Cultural models of childhood, emic and etic approaches to the study of
childhood, Fulani views of children
FILM:
The Fulani
READ:
Hecht, introduction
S.
Harkness and C. Super “Themes and Variations: Parental Ethnotheories in Western
Cultures” at:
www.brown.edu/Departments/Human_Development_Center/Roundtable/Harkness.pdf
6
SECOND EXAM
11-15
Spring Break
19
Social-cognitive development in children, Vygotsky and the social-historical
school
FILM:
Karen Peterson on Vygotsky
21
Mechanisms and processes of acquiring culture in childhood
READ:
Hecht, Chapt. 2
“Aka
transmission” on instructor’s webpage (under Anth 469)
Cole, M. “Cross-cultural and
Historical Perspectives on the Consequences of Education” at:
http://lchc.ucsd.edu/People/MCole/Oxford2.htm
26
Is adolescence a cultural universal? A developmental stage? What is child
culture”
FILM: Margaret Mead
READ:
Hecht, Chapts. 3-4
28
Street children
READ;
Hecht, Chapt. 5
FILM:
Marcelo Diversi video
April
1
Child abuse and neglect in comparative perspective
READ:
Hecht, Chapts. 6-7
3
Adolescence rituals and initiations
FILM:
The Sambia
8
Political economy of childhood, exploitation of children, global policy on
children
FILM:
Globalization and Children
10
The future of human childhoods
15
Discussion of lessons learned, review for exam
17
THIRD EXAM
22
DUE: Short oral presentation of
field project
24
Summary and overview
DUE: FIELD PROJECT
Childhood and Culture
Field
Assignment (20 points)
DUE: Wednesday, July 26,
2006
Select
one of the following projects:
2
Interview
3-5 parents you know about their parental ideologies. If you select a couple, interview each parent
separately (alone). If possible, try to
focus on one age range of children--i.e., parental ideologies for babies, young
children or adolescents. What things do they want for their children (parental
goals)? What are the most important
things (shelter, food, social-emotional support, education, etc.) parents (may
want to distinguish between what mother, father, grandparents, and others)
provide to their children? Why did you have children? What is the most difficult thing about being
a parent? Did you know much about being a parent before you had your first
child? What is a good/bad parent? What is a good/bad child? What contexts of childcare do they enjoy
most?
3
Interview
5-7 children/adolescents of similar age about their "culture". How do they perceive their parents? What are the most important things parents
(may want to distinguish between fathers and mothers or others)
do/provide? What do parents provide you?
Who are the most important people in your life right now? Why? Who are your
best friends? Why is it important to have friends? What have been the most important events in
your life up to now? What is a good/bad
parent? Do you want to have children? If
so, why?
DEVELOP
A GENERAL LIST OF QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO ASK BEFORE YOU START THE INTERVIEWS,
BUT DO NOT USE A STANDARIZED QUESTIONNAIRE.
THE QUESTIONS MAY BE BASED ON IDEAS OR CONCEPTS LEARNED IN CLASS. DO NOT USE EMAIL OR PHONE INTERVIEWS. KEEP THE INTERVIEWS INFORMAL AND ETHNOGRAPHIC
(I.E., LISTEN AND LET THE PARENT OR CHILD IDENTIFY THINGS IMPORTANT TO HIM/HER;
CONDUCT THE INTERVIEW IN A PLACE FAMILIAR TO THE PARENT OR CHILD)
BE
SURE TO FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES:
1.
Explain to the parent or child the nature of your project before you begin.
Obtain their consent.
2.
You must obtain parents' permission before interviewing any child.
3. Inform the parent or child that they can
decide to stop the interview at any time and that there are no consequences if
they do not complete or want to stop the interview.
4. Use fictional names for parents or children
when you write the paper.
Write
a 3-5 page paper on your project (typed and double-spaced). The paper should have the following sections:
A) introduction--describe what you did (about one or two paragraphs); B)
results--summarize what you found, diversity and uniformity in responses (two
pages; be sure to use interview data to support your statements); and, C) link
your project to some aspect of class (about two or three paragraphs). Try to link to discussions of nurturing
versus nutured childhood, cultural construction of childhood, emic perspective,
role of parents in shaping child’s personality. Most of you will describe
Anglo-American parental ideologies so you should be able to discuss whether
your results are similar or different from parental ideologies discussed in
class.
Name_____________________________________
Culture___________________________________
Primary
modes of subsistence:_______________________
Size
of living groups:_______________________________
Birth and
Bonding
Human
Relations Area Files Study
Examine
HRAF Codes 843-844 and 852-854
Answer
each of the following and give a brief quote from the ethnography to support
your answer.
1.What
position is the mother in when she gives birth?
1) squat
2)
sit
3)
stand
4)
lying down
9)
no data
2.
Mother gives birth:
1)
in hut/house
2)
outside of hut/house in public
3)
outside of village/camp
9)
no data
3.
How many people attend the birth?
1)
alone
2)
one other
3)
few (2-5)
4)
many (>5)
9)
no data
4.
How are they related to mother?
1)
mother
2)
mother-in-law
3)
sister
*list
all relatives mentioned_______________________________________
5.
Are only females at the birth? (except under unusual circumstances)
1)
yes
2)
no
*list
any conditions under which men attend_______________________
6.
Is the father present?
1)
father presence required
2)
father usually present
3)
father seldom present (but allowed)
4)
father never present (not allowed)
9)
no data
7.
Father actively participates?
1)
yes
2)
no
9)
no data
*list
all things father does during birth______________________________
8.
Does the father sleep with mother and infant after the birth?
1)
taboos against father sleeping in same bed
2)
father usually sleeps in bed with mother and children, and no
taboos mentioned about just after birth
3)
father usually does not sleep with mother (own bed or room)
9)
no data
9.
What happens immediately after birth?
1)
baby given to mother
2)
caretakers take away to wash/clean
3)
ritual activities by others with infant
9)
no data
10.
How long is it before mother is expected to resume regular subsistence role?
1)
same day
2)
few days (1-2)
3)
some days (3-5)
4)
many days (>5)
9)
no data
11.
Does the A)mother B)father have food taboos associated with the pregnancy? (Two
codes)
1)
no food taboos
2)
a few (1-2), but of foods rarely in the diet
3)
a few (1-2), but of food commonly in the diet
4)
numerous (>3), and foods common in the diet
9)
no data
*list
taboo foods for A)mother________________ B)father________________
12.
Do women other than mother nurse the infant?
1)
never
2)
under special circumstances (mother's milk slow to come in)
3)
not unusual
9)
no data
13.
When does the first breast feeding occur?
1)
after infant bathed, rubbed, wrapped
2)
after mother is positioned
3)
after ritual, cord cut, confession
4)
soon as mother is able
5)
when "real" milk appears
6)
more than 24 hours
9)
no data
14.
Sleeping arrangement of mother and infant.
1)
infant in cradle
2)
on separate mat
3)
not in mother's bed
4)
infant in mother's sleeping place, in body contact
9)
no data
15.
Are there any statements about the value or danger of colostrum?
____________________________________________________________________
16.
Are there any statements to suggest that not all women are able to breast-feed?________________________________________________________________
17.
Any statements as to whether a small or large baby is preferred?
_____________________________________________________________________
18.
What is done with the placenta?______________________________________
19.
Any other interesting comments about childbirth that you noted?