Anthropology 392: Special
Topics
Anthropology
of Childhood
TTh
3-415pm,
Instructor:
Email:cheneyke@notes.udayton.edu Office Hours:
Phone: 229-3695 Wed 1-6pm St. Joseph Room 405 &
by appt
OBJECTIVES: This
course will acquaint students with the diversity of ways that childhood is
perceived, defined, and experienced by children of various cultures around the
world. The study of differing experiences of childhoods has emerged as an
important subfield of anthropology in recent years. While early research on
childhood tended to focus on children as objects of socialization through, for
example, cross-cultural comparison of child-rearing practices, the emergent
field of childhood studies critiques the singular concept of 'childhood' itself
through a political-economic examination of its construction as a stage of
human development. Childhood studies also examine children as social agents in
their own right. This course will accordingly explore these issues and their
implications for public policy as well as everyday lives of children and their
adult interlocutors. We will critically examine topics of contemporary concern
about children and childhood throughout the course.
Cheney, Kristen. Pillars of the Nation: Child
Citizens and Ugandan National Development.
Gottlieb, Alma. The Afterlife is Where We Come
From: The Culture of Infancy in West Africa.
Lareau,
Annette. Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life.
Other readings available in PDF format through WebCT:
log in at webct.udayton.edu
PARTICIPATION & ATTENDANCE:
Completion of all readings for the day they are assigned and active class
participation are essential to passing the class. This class requires
you to engage closely with the reading material, so the more you put into the
class, the more you’ll get out of it! Your preparedness and enthusiasm in
discussions will help determine your participation grade.
I take attendance at each
class. You must attend the entire session to receive credit for having
attended. I make no distinction between excused and
unexcused absences. Each student is allowed FOUR (4) absences, for
whatever reason. After that, 10 points are deducted from your final grade for
each absence. Please
plan your time accordingly to account for absences due to unexpected illnesses
and emergencies. Forging signatures on the sign-in sheet
constitutes cheating and will result in an automatic ‘F’ for the class, for
both offenders.
Participation and
attendance make up ten percent (10%) of your final grade.
ASSIGNMENTS: These are designed to
show you how you can use anthropology as a tool for understanding childhood
cross-culturally. They will assess your knowledge of key anthropological
concepts covered in class, and your ability to apply them to the case material.
Completion of course requirements is a necessary,
but not sufficient, condition for a good grade. You are expected
to complete all assignments by the due dates stated on the syllabus or in
class. It is your responsibility
to obtain class notes and assignments from fellow students (not the instructor) when absent.
All work is due in print (no e-mailed assignments), by the due date. NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED! In addition, you cannot
‘make up’ assignments or class activities.
This class involves
challenging reading and a high standard of written and spoken expression. If
you need assistance with reading and writing or disability accommodations,
please see me and contact The Write Place/LEAD Program, 23 Roesch Library:
http://lead.udayton.edu. Students requiring special services or arrangements
because of hearing, visual, physical, learning, or other disability should
discuss their needs with me, his/her counselor, and the LEAD
Program immediately so we can make any arrangements necessary
to accommodate your learning experience.
Presentations: You will be expected to report on a chapter of the
Gottlieb and Lareau books. You will be provided with prompts and instructions
in class.
Short
Papers: You will be expected to
write a short essay on each of the Gottlieb and Lareau books. You will be
provided with prompts and instructions in class.
Film
Responses*: You will also write similar responses for
your choice of two (2) of the class films shown on WebCT/Flyer TV. Film responses
should critically address intersections between the films, readings, and class
discussions, making analyses and asking questions where appropriate. To do this
adequately, they should be 350-500 words in length. These are to be brought to
class on the day of the same class session in which the corresponding film is
to be discussed (see Class Schedule below). You will use them to help
facilitate class discussions.
***Please
note that you should respond critically to the content. Avoid
summarizing the films and focus instead on creating an analytical point of view
on the topics. ***
Discussion
Facilitation: Each of you will take a turn leading our
discussion on one of the readings. I will pass around a sign-up sheet and post
it to the course website.
Research
Project: For
this course, you will conduct library research and write a research paper in
correspondence with the section on children in difficult circumstances. You
will write individual papers but work in groups to present your chosen topic to
the class. More details to follow…
GRADING:
All written work will be
evaluated for its analytical content, the strength and effectiveness of the
argument, appropriate use of sources, organization, clarity, and skill in
writing. Written work should include clear communication and logic, an
analytical effort, and relevance to the course material – though I do encourage
you to make analytical connections between course material and current events,
personal experiences, etc.
All written work should be
typed in 10-12 point font (no courier), double-spaced, 1-inch margins. Spelling
and grammar count! It is therefore advisable that you compose your
responses in Word, run SpellCheck and proofread. The website contains links to
writing and style manuals, as well as a list of some common errors.
The total possible points
for each assignment are listed below.
ASSIGNMENTS |
NOTES |
DUE |
PTS |
% |
Presentations |
Gottlieb |
2/12 |
100 |
10% |
|
Lareau |
3/25 |
100 |
10% |
|
Research topic |
4/8- 4/15 |
100 |
10% |
Papers |
Gottlieb Essay |
2/21 |
100 |
10% |
|
Lareau Essay |
4/1 |
100 |
10% |
|
Research topic |
4/29 |
200 |
20% |
Film/Event Responses |
2 @ 50 pts each |
various |
100 |
10% |
Discussion Facilitation |
Lead one group discussion on a chosen book |
various |
100 |
10% |
Attendance and Class Participation |
|
100 |
10% |
|
TOTAL |
|
|
1000 |
100% |
Students are expected to exercise academic honesty
and integrity. Violations such as cheating and plagiarism will result in
disciplinary action that may include recommendation for dismissal from UD. I
will not hesitate to fail students caught cheating, plagiarizing, or copying
others’ work.
COURSE POLICIES
Discussions: This class will be
conducted mainly as a seminar, meaning that lectures will be limited. Instead,
we will develop the main concepts of the class through discussion. Hence the
importance of regular attendance, participation, and preparedness. Be sure to
bring your books to refer to in discussion; those unprepared to participate in
discussion may be asked to leave without receiving credit.
Classroom Conduct: Throughout
this course, we will be learning to apply the tools of anthropological theory
to understanding childhood cross-culturally. This sometimes involves moving
from our own cultural contexts (and comfort zones) to entertain other points of
view. Here are a few ground rules to help class run
smoothly.
·
Please be punctual and ready to start class at the
appointed time. Anyone arriving late will not be allowed to sign the attendance
sheet.
·
Turn your cell phone and other noise-makers off or
to vibrate during class time.
·
Laptops are
allowed in class FOR ANTHROPOLOGY PURPOSES ONLY! It is unacceptable to use
laptops for any other purpose, including surfing the web, instant-messaging or
emailing, or doing work for another class. If this occurs, I will ban all
laptops from the classroom for the rest of the semester.
·
Please stay in your seat unless otherwise
instructed. Use the restroom prior to or after class. If you just can’t wait,
please raise your hand and ask for permission before leaving the room.
·
You can bring something to eat or drink, but please
be discreet about it. If your chomping becomes disruptive, I might ask you to
discontinue. Be sure to clean up after yourself at the end of class.
·
ASK QUESTIONS! Please raise your hand when you want
to participate in discussion. Be courteous to others and give them your
attention when they are talking. Let’s create an atmosphere where everyone
feels safe stating their opinions. If you are disruptive or disrespectful to
the professor or other students, you will be asked to leave and will not
receive credit for that day’s work.
WebCT: WebCT will be your main link to course materials and information. Use
WebCT to find the syllabus and supplemental readings (those not found in your
books), print lecture notes, watch films, post assignments, and find links to
helpful websites. You should therefore refer to the course site before
contacting me or other classmates with questions. Your patience as I develop
the course site will be much appreciated.
Email: You
are responsible for all material emailed to you. I will send information (such
as syllabus revisions and assignments!) to your UD accounts, so make sure your
UD account is current (check at address.udayton.edu), it has available space
for messages, and that you check it regularly. If you lose something sent to
you by email, you should get another copy on WebCT (if available) or from
someone else in class.
If you have questions or concerns about the class
and/or your performance in it, I encourage you to come see me during my office hours. This is much more helpful and
timely than e-mail. I will answer emails whenever I am in my office next.
Please note that I do not answer e-mail after hours or on weekends.
CLASS SCHEDULE |
|
|
|
|
Activities |
WEEK 1 |
INTRO TO CHILDHOOD STUDIES: Brief
overview of scholarly research on children and childhood. Emphasis on historical
development of the concept of childhood as a distinctive phase of life. |
|
TU
1/8 |
Bluebond-Langner & Korbin - Challenges &
Opportunities in the Anthropology of Childhood (PDF) |
|
TH
1/10 |
Levine - Ethnographic Studies of Childhood (PDF) |
|
|
|
|
WEEK 2 |
HISTORICIZING & THEORIZING CHILDHOOD: Review
of the contemporary literature rethinking the idea of childhood. Emphasis on
historical development of the concept of childhood, and to children’s agency
and political-economic approaches to understanding diverse childhoods. |
|
TU
1/15 |
Postman - When There Were No Children (PDF) |
|
TH
1/17 |
James, Jenks, & Prout - Theorizing Childhood
(PDF) |
|
WEEK 3 |
|
|
TU
1/22 |
Cheney - Introduction: The Role of Ugandan Child
Citizens… |
|
TH
1/24 |
Cheney - |
|
|
|
|
WEEK 4 |
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS
(in preparation for UD Human Rights Week 2/3-8):In this section, students
will become familiar with debates about children’s rights and its criticism
for setting children’s rights apart from other human rights, thus producing
protectionist rather than empowering possibilities for children. Focus on
local consequences of universalist rights discourses. |
|
TU
1/29 |
Ennew - Future Generations… (PDF) |
|
TH
1/31 |
Majka & Majka - Child Farm Workers in US
Agriculture (PDF) |
|
|
|
|
WEEK 5 |
STAGES OF CHILDHOOD:
Students will critically examine the arbitrary construction of developmental
stages involved in childhood and their significance in various cultural
contexts. Discussions of cross-cultural significance of concepts such as
infancy, adolescence, and ‘youth’. |
|
TU
2/5 |
Gottlieb Part I: Studying Babies, Studying the
Beng |
|
TH
2/7 |
Gottlieb Part I: Studying Babies, Studying the
Beng |
|
WEEK 6 |
|
|
TU
2/12 |
Gottlieb Part II (Chs. 4-10 assigned
individually) |
PRESENTATIONS |
TH
2/14 |
Gottlieb |
|
WEEK 7 |
|
|
TU
2/19 |
|
|
TH
2/21 |
None |
Gottlieb Essay Due Project Work |
|
|
|
WEEK 8 |
UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN'S IDENTITY & AGENCY: This
section will engage questions of children’s competency and social agency.
Emphasis on scholarship that stresses children’s engagement with their
immediate social worlds. |
|
TU
2/26 |
Cheney |
|
TH
2/28 |
Cheney |
|
WEEK 9 |
|
|
TU
3/4 |
James - Giving Voice to Children's Voices (PDF) |
|
TH
3/6 |
Cheney |
|
|
|
|
WEEK 10 |
GENDER, RACE & CLASS: This
section will critically examine the intersections of childhood as a social
variable with other social variables such as gender, race, and class.
Emphasis on the consequences of these intersections for children’s experiences. |
|
TU
3/11 |
Thorne - Do Boys & Girls Have Different
Cultures? (PDF) |
Film: Of Hopscotch & Little Girls |
TH
3/13 |
Lareau Ch.1 (Skim |
|
|
|
|
3/14
- 3/24 |
SPRING BREAK - NO CLASSES |
|
|
|
|
WEEK 11 |
|
|
TU
3/25 |
Lareau Chs. 3-11 (assigned individually) |
PRESENTATIONS |
TH
3/27 |
Lareau |
Film: School Colors |
WEEK 12 |
|
|
TU
4/1 |
Cheney |
Lareau Essay Due |
TH
4/3 |
None |
Project Work |
|
|
|
WEEK 13 |
CASE STUDIES: CHILDREN IN DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES: This section will address several topics of
contemporary concern about what has been termed in global aid and relief
discourses as ‘children in difficult circumstances’. Examples include child
laborers, soldiers, and street children. Emphasis on amelioration of these
situations: How might we empower children to change these circumstances for
their own betterment? |
|
TU
4/8 |
Nieuwenhuys - The Paradox of Child Labor… (PDF) |
|
W
4/9 |
Stander Symposium |
|
TH
4/10 |
Panter-Brick - Street Children... (PDF) |
|
WEEK 14 |
|
|
TU
4/15 |
Rosen - Child Soldiers… (PDF) |
|
TH
4/17 |
Cheney |
|
WEEK 15 |
|
|
TU
4/22 |
Cheney |
Film: War/dance |
TH
4/24 |
None |
Wrap-up discussion |
|
|
|
TU 4 /29 |
FINAL EXAM |
Project Essay Due |