Anthropological Perspectives on Children and Childhood, 7.5 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Master´s Programme in Child Studies

Entry requirements

For admission to the course the student must have: A bachelor’s degree in the humanities, social sciences or the behavioural sciences with a major (or its equivalent) in a field relevant to the programme, e.g. anthropology, communication studies, education, history, language studies, media studies, political science, psychology, social work and sociology. Documented knowledge of English equivalent to "Engelska B"/”Engelska 6” or an internationally recognized test, e.g. TOEFL (minimum scores: Paper based 575 + TWE-score 4.5, and internet based 90), IELTS, academic (minimum score: Overall band 6.5 and no band under 5.5), or equivalent.

Intended learning outcomes

After completion of the course, the student should on an advanced level be able to:
- account for fundamental anthropological concepts and research methods with a focus on children and childhood;
- describe and analyse the ways in which concepts of children and childhood have different implications in different societies;
- apply an anthropological perspective on children’s living conditions and everyday life in the study of one’s own society, as well as others;
- identify and account for methodological and ethical dilemmas in relation to anthropological and ethnographic research.

Course content

The course deals with fundamental anthropological concepts of significance for the study of children’s living conditions and daily life. The course also treats anthropological cross-cultural understanding of what it means to be a child and to grow up, for example in relation to welfare and educational institutions and how understandings of personhood, family, kinship, peer groups, body and gender vary and permeate children’s experiences. Methodological and ethical questions relevant to anthropological and ethnographic studies of children’s living conditions and daily life are treated throughout the course.

Teaching and working methods

Lectures and related discussions take place online on an interactive learning platform. In addition to lectures there are seminars, workshops, and group work online. Between the lectures and the seminars the students independently acquire the course literature, complete individual and group assignments, and communicate with other students online. Examining seminars, workshops and group exercises are compulsory.
The student must have access to e-mail and Internet. The course is presented in various multi-media formats. In order to guarantee a positive learning situation online, and, in order for the student to be able to actively participate in the course and communicate with fellow students and the teacher, it is therefore important that the student have access to the correct hard- and software. Information concerning the specifications of the equipment necessary for the course can be found in the study guide.
Language of instruction: English

Examination

The examinations consist of active participation in seminars, workshops and group assignments online, as well as through individual written assignments submitted online. Detailed information about the examinations can be found in the study guide.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

Department