Childhoods, families, genders

Semester 1 · 64175 · Bachelor for Social Education · 6CP · DE · IT

The course introduces the basic concepts of childhood, family and gender, analysing social functions, plurality and transformations of family configurations, with a focus on their framing in social pedagogy. In the second part, the focus is on parenting: after a discussion of the main theories on the stereotypes of 'good parenting', the challenges related to certain vulnerable contexts, such as high conflict, migration, poverty, membership of sexual and gender minorities, and unfavourable childhood experiences are explored.

Lecturers: Diletta Mauri, Nadia Paone

Teaching Hours: 30 h - Paone Nadia 15 h - Mauri Diletta
Lab Hours: 0
Mandatory Attendance: In accordance with the regulation

Course Topics
- Introduction to the family: tasks and functions - Family history and the contemporary family - Families in change: social and cultural transformations - Family transitions: critical events and life cycles - Brothers and sisters: sibling relationships and roles - Childhood and children as social actors - Generations and intergenerational relationships in families - The family as a place of formation and education - Health and illness in families - Families and generativity - Gender and family roles - 'Doing' and 'Displaying Family': everyday practices and representations - Stereotypes about family and "good" parenting - Parenting in high conflict contexts - Parenting in conditions of forced migration - Parenting in situations of poverty - Parenthood of LGBT+ people - Parenthood of care-experienced people

Teaching format
Lectures, laboratory activities and workshops

Educational objectives
The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of the fundamental concepts of childhood, family and gender from a pedagogical-social perspective. In particular, it aims to develop in students Knowledge and comprehension skills: to acquire theoretical and conceptual tools to understand the plurality of family configurations, their social and cultural transformations, and to critically analyse the issues of parenting and conditions of family vulnerability. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: to know how to interpret educational, intergenerational and gender dynamics, linking the course contents to other disciplinary and professional areas, and using them as a basis for reflection and intervention in pedagogical and social fields. Autonomy of judgement: to develop critical capacity in the analysis of social representations of the family and parenting, evaluating with awareness the educational, social and cultural implications of different family contexts. Communication skills: to express clearly concepts, theories and analyses related to the course topics, communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, reflections and arguments based on scientific grounds. Learning skills: to develop attitudes towards self-study and critical consultation of scientific literature, strengthening the ability to elaborate interdisciplinary links and research perspectives.

Assessment
Students are required to choose a single topic from among those covered during the course and develop an essay based on the knowledge acquired in class and through the indicated readings. The paper must be between 5 and 10 pages long and must be sent to the lecturers at least one week before the exam. Before starting on the paper, each student must check with the lecturer whether he/she is willing to take on the chosen topic, and only then will it be possible to agree on the specific topic to be examined. During the examination, the paper will be discussed in an oral interview with the lecturer who has dealt with the topic, in the language in which it was written, while the other lecturer will ask follow-up questions in the other language.

Evaluation criteria
The following will be taken into account in the evaluation: clarity, argumentative relevance, ability to summarise and relevance of the topics covered

Required readings

Ecarius J., Köbel N., Wahl K. (2011). Familie, Erziehung und Sozialisation. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Saraceno C. & Naldini M. (2021). Sociologia della famiglia, quarta edizione. Il Mulino.
Fargion, S. & Sicora, A. (a cura di) (2023). Costruzioni di genitorialità su terreni incerti. Quale ruolo per il servizio sociale? Il Mulino.
Sità, C. (2017). La genitorialità intensiva e le sue implicazioni per la relazione tra genitori e professionisti. Consultori familiari oggi, 25(2), 45-55.

Supplementary readings

First part of the course:

Braches-Chyrek R., Röhner C., Sünker H., Hopf M. (Hg.). (2020). Handbuch Frühe Kindheit (2., aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage). Opladen: Barbara Budrich.
Brazelton T.B., Greenspan S.I. (2002). Die sieben Grundbedürfnisse von Kindern. Weinheim: Beltz.
Büchner P., Brake A. (Hg.). (2006). Bildungsort Familie. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Ecarius J. (2010): Familieninteraktion – Identitätsbildung und Kultur soziale Reproduktion. In: Rüdiger Müller/ Jutta Ecarius/ Heidrun Herzberg (Hg.). Familie, Generation und Bildung. Opladen: Barbara Budrich, 17-32.
Ecarius, J., Schierbaum, A. (Hg.) (2022): Gesellschaft, Familienbeziehungen und differentielle Felder. Wiesbaden: VS Springer
Faas S., Landhäußer S. (2015): Zur Neuthematisierung von Familie als Erziehungs- und Bildungsort: Konsequenzen und Herausforderungen für Eltern und Familienbildung. In: Susann Fegter/ Catrin Heite/ Johanna Mierendorff/ Martina Richter (Hg.). Neue Aufmerksamkeiten für Familie. Diskurse Bilder und Adressierungen in der Sozialen Arbeit. Lahnstein: neue praxis, 48- 59.
Hengst H., Zeiher H. (Hg.) (2005) Kindheit soziologisch. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Schierbaum, A., Ecarius, J., Krinninger, D., Uhlendorff, U. (2023). Familie, wozu? Eine Bestandsaufnahme konzeptioneller und theoretischer Perspektiven in der erziehungswissenschaftlichen Forschung zu Familie. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien.

Second part of the course:

Gui, L. (2024). Fare i genitori senza certezze: genitorialità e servizio sociale. Francoangeli
Guerzoni, C. S., Nothdurfter, U., & Trappolin, L. (2024). Genitorialità queer in Italia. Filiazione, relazioni familiari, percorsi di legittimazione (pp. 1-305). Mondadori.
Mauri, D. (2024). Constructing the 'zero family': Breaking the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment from the perspective of care-experienced parents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 153, 106855.

Additional bibliography may be agreed upon with the lecturer.

Download as pdf

Sustainable Development Goals
This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals.

5 10