Overview of Course

How do childhood and adolescence experiences vary around the globe? What impacts these differences? How can health and well-being be improved for all children and youth? Countries and communities across the globe have made significant improvements in life outcomes for children and youth in the past decades. However, millions of children and youth remain under-educated, live in poverty, labor in unsafe conditions, and are sexually exploited. In this course, we will explore issues affecting child outcomes for both developed and developing countries through examining culture, poverty, and programs to improve child outcomes. We will explore global, cultural, and social influences that affect and shape children and youths’ lives such as policies and practices related to health, education, and protection. The ways that children are socialized will be explored with special attention to the lives of children in the countries we visit. Students in this course will gain a better understanding of how global changes and identities affect the daily lives and potential life outcomes of children and youth. Students will have opportunities to observe and interact directly with children and youth from diverse cultures during field experiences.