CYP6152 - Sociological Perspectives of Childhood

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Critically discuss historical and cultural views of childhood;
Appraise issues of social change pertinent to families and children;
Identify and critically evaluate the impact of significant social problems on children’s lives;
Critically analyse major challenges to children’s lives.

Content:

Study on this module will give students the opportunity to explore how the meaning of childhood has changed over the generations. Students will compare constructions of childhood and examine theories of childhood from a range of perspectives.
Students will explore some of the most challenging and fundamental issues concerning children and their families in the twenty-first century. Students will be encouraged to develop an understanding of children’s lived experiences.
The ever-changing policies and ideologies that surround the lives of children and their families will be examined, as will contemporary research in the context of the children’s agenda.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Learning will take place via lectures and in interactive sessions incorporating theoretical input, discussion, debate, ICT research and student presentation. Students will be supported by VLE materials, constructed reading, research tasks and workshop sessions. Formative assessment opportunities, self, peer and group, will be integrated into taught sessions.

Lectures, seminars and workshops
Hours: 27
Intended Group size: Cohort

On-line support and small group tutorials Hours: 1 (min)
Intended Group size: 6-10

Guided independent study
Hours: 172

Further details relating to assessment
The timeline assessment will be a group task to include changes to the meaning of childhood over time within the UK and the presentation will involve the appraisal of social change issues.

The essay will provide a critical analysis of major challenges facing children in the twenty-first century.