Corsi di Studio del Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società

Previous knowledge of basic issues in socio-cultural anthropology and its historical development will be helpful. However, this is no absolute requirement, primarily because this module is designed to be essentially self-contained.

The purpose of the course is to provide fairly advanced theoretical and methodological knowledge related to the most recent developments in socio-cultural anthropological studies on childhood and youth.

More specifically, the teaching objectives are:

a) acquire basic training on the theoretical and methodological perspectives of childhood and youth anthropology.

b) identify the distinctive conceptual methods and tools ofchildhood and youth anthropology through the analysis of ethnographic monographs and comparative reflection.

c) explore anthropological themes and debates concerning childhood and youth, the relationships between genders and generations, the interactions between social changes, and cultural dimension.

 

At the end of the course, students will be expected to:

• develop skills to analyze issues on childhood and youth with an interdisciplinary perspective (history, politics, psychology, pedagogy, etc.);
• follow the evolution of the anthropological study of childhood and youth from its origins up to its most recent developments;
• perform an anthropological analysis on childhood and youth situations in Europe, Latin America, North America, Oceania, Asia and Africa.
• identify distinctive methods and conceptual tools of the anthropological study of childhood and youth through an analysis of selected ethnographic monographs;

The course aims to present the current trends in socio-cultural anthropology regarding the study of childhood and youth in a comparative perspective. The role of childhood and youth in contemporary societies and relevant changes in its cultural and social construction are examined from an anthropological perspective. Themes, authors and debates that characterized the study of childhood and youth are analyzed, as well as specific case studies from Europe, Latin America, North America, Oceania, Asia and Africa.

The course also aims to highlight what characterizes anthropological research with children and young people, its methodological particularities and its ethical implications. Connections between anthropology, history, psychology and pedagogy in the contemporary study of childhood and youth are also explored.

Specific topics developed in the course are:

• Themes, concepts and tools for the study of childhood and youth in socio-cultural anthropology.
• Socio-cultural constructions of childhood and youth in a cross-cultural comparative perspective.
• Beyond “adult-centrism”: generational classifications, social relationships and power dynamics in western and non-western societies.
• Childhood and youth sub-cultures and identities in world societies: case studies.
• Assistance, care and state policies about childhood and youth in an anthropological perspective.
• Methodological and ethical reflections: how to investigate “with” and not only “on” childhood and youth.

Mainly whole class (face-to-face) teaching and seminars starting from readings proposed in advance. 

Evaluation will be based on student participation in classroom discussions, workgroups participation, and on presentation based on texts or researches produced during the course. Auto and reciprocal evaluation will be promoted among the students. 

The exam will be only written and the evaluation will be expressed on a 30 basis (18 will be considered sufficient and 30 will be the highest grade).

The students must prepare a short paper (4000 words) on one of the program's issues, and send the paper to the teacher. Students will write their paper in English. The paper must be uploaded 7-10 days before the date of the exam.

The details on the paper's writing will be discussed during the course. The students who not attend the course are invited to write to the teacher to receive information.

The teacher will evaluate the paper according to the following criteria: a) Appropriateness in the use of anthropological lexicon; b) Clearness and consistency; c) ability to discuss specific examples.

The course will be accompanied by tutorship activities focused on the realization of bibliographical and ethnographical researches for the final exam.

To prepare the paper, attending students have to study:

1) D. Lancy, The Anthropology of Childhood

2) 5 scientific articles chosen amon those made available on the Moodle site.

Those students who have been unable to attend the lectures (or have preferred not to do so) will prepare the paper studying:

1) D. Lancy, The Anthropology of Childhood

2) 8 scientific articles chosen amon those made available on the Moodle site.

The course will take place in the second semester: lectures will start on Monday 17 February 2025.

They will take place each week on ...

Lectures will be held in presence. Lectures will be in English.

Students (especially, but non only, those who intend to attend the lectures) are strongly advised to register in Moodle. This is all-important because it is through Moodle that you will receive information about variations in the lecture timetable etc., and it is through Moodle that you will be able to access learning materials.