Child & Family Studies

Childhood studies is a multidisciplinary field examining children and childhood experiences. Although childhood seems to be a shared experience, each of us have been shaped by different economic, social, and cultural forces. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this course will examine the historical, theoretical, and cultural ways of defining children & childhood. We will question how childhood has changed throughout history, what theoretical perspectives have shaped how adults interact with children, and how do different cultures define childhood? Using several different perspectives including humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, medicine, and law we will answer the questions: who is defined as a child, what role do children play in society, how has childhood changed over time, who speaks or has authority over children.

Why is the U.S. standard of living higher than that of most other countries, and what does the standard of living depend on? What causes the unemployment rate to rise, and why do some countries suffer from inflation? What determines the exchange rate between the dollar and the Euro? These questions and more will be discussed as students learn more about the economy in which they live. This course can be taken prior to L.ECO 221.

A sociological analysis of the nature of delinquent behavior and key components of the juvenile justice system. An examination of family, neighborhood, school, peer group, social class and cultural determinants of delinquency. In addition, societal attempts to control and prevent delinquency will be considered.