SOC08013 2022 Sociology of Childhood and Family -JMP

Critically assess sociological approaches to childhood and children with reference to a range of sociological theories and their contribution to understanding childrens lives in the Irish and global context

Examine how structural forces constitute childhood by exploring cultural and historical accounts of childhood in the Irish and global contexrt

Demonstrate a critical perspective on structure and agency as central tenets in sociology, how these are manifest in studies of children's lives, the tensions and contradictions therein and the contribution of the concept of generagency 

Identify a range of research sources and policy instruments which highlight the voice of the child and give visibility to children's agency and their perspectives on their lives.

Critically assess a range of sociological approaches to analysis of the family including functionalist, feminist and marxist perspectives with particular reference to studies in the Irish context.

There will be lectures and tutorial discussions which will focus on participation by students so as to develop a critical perspective on childhood and family.

Learning will be based on attendance at lectures, independent research and discussion in tutorial.

Assessment requires students to demonstrate an in-depth advanced understanding of sociological perspectives on childhood and the family.  As such it will focus on research skills, presentation skills and the capacity to bring an analytic focus to learning. Students will undertake two pieces of assessment: a debate on the tensions between structure and agency in childrens lives(40%) and a group research project in a field of interest pertaining to family or global childhood (60%).

An individual research project on a field of interest in sociology of child and family.

Sociological theories and the study of children and childhood: socialisation, social construction, structure/agency and generagency

Global and western perspective on childhood: the contribution of the above sociological approaches

Prioritising agency in the study of childhood and childrens lives: key thinkers and concepts

Prioritising structure in the study of childhood and childrens lives

Policy instruments that prioritise childrens rights and participation: the OCO. the UNCRC, the CRA and Irish childcare legislation: tensions and contradictions

Global childhoods: childrens experience and situation: children working, child soldiers and child migrants

Sociological approaches to the study of the family in Irish sociology: functionalist, feminist and marxist perspectives

Historical and contemporary studies of the family: exemplars from global and Irish sociology