Special Topics (251-0-20)
Topic
Coming of Age and Growing Old in the 21st Century
Instructors
Sneha Kumar
Meeting Info
Online: Mon, Wed 3:30PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
This course introduces students to sociological/life course perspectives on adulthood and aging. It focuses on how sociohistorical context, social category, and individual biography influence individuals' pathways to young adulthood, middle adulthood, and old age.
The first half of this course looks at what it means to come of age today. We will study why the traditional markers of adulthood - leaving home, completing education, being financially independent, getting married, and having children - have become increasingly delayed and disrupted, and briefly consider the consequences of deviating from the "standard" life course. We will pay specific attention to how social factors (e.g., family structure, immigration status, class) shape young people's transitions to these stages of adult life.
The second half of this course looks at what it means to grow old (and age healthily). We will look at early life determinants of later-life health, the significance of social and intergenerational relationships for elder care and wellbeing, work and retirement, and end-of-life issues. We will focus on how systems of social inequality create divergent old age experiences and health outcomes.
While the course predominantly focuses on the United States, we will also draw on empirical findings from other regions across the globe (particularly Asia).
Learning Objectives
Understand core concepts of the life course perspective.
Gain knowledge about diverging pathways to adulthood and old age in the 21st century.
Evaluate how individual histories intersect with the broader socioeconomic context to inform how individuals' experience, and transition to, the stages of adult life.
Apply life-course principles and sociological concepts to analyze real-world adulthood and aging issues.
Communicate effectively in various formats, including in-class discussions, reflection response papers, oral history analysis, presentations, and peer review.
Evaluation Method
Class attendance: 5%
Class participation and group discussions: 10%
Reflection response papers (4 out of 8 through the term; 2 from adulthood and 2 from aging): 40%
Life history project: 20%
End of term project (any media format, can review a topic using a podcast, video, op-ed, blog; choose from set of topics provided): 25%.
5% for annotated bibliography; 5% for peer review; 15% for final presentation + review response
Class Attributes
Synchronous:Class meets remotely at scheduled time