Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
Rethinking child care
Instructor(s): Jess Sullivan, Psychology
One of the few universal experiences -- shared by all adults-- is the experience of once having been a child. However, cultural beliefs about 鈥榗hildhood鈥� are diverse, and this leads to many different approaches to interacting with and caring for children. This Scribner seminar is an interdisciplinary exploration of childhood and child care. This course explores how cultural beliefs impact: clinical and medical practices, parenting practices, and the systems that support education, learning, and work. Students will apply insights about cross-cultural development from anthropology, sociology, and history to the study of childhood and child care. More generally, students will question and critique the development of policies and norms related to children, and will ask questions like: Who gets to decide what 鈥渘ormal鈥�, 鈥渉ealthy鈥�, and 鈥済ood鈥� childhood environments look like? In what ways do powerful individuals and institutions police, restrict, and limit child development? What are the consequences for violating cultural norms during development, and can we seek justice for those who have been wronged?
Course Offered: 2026