Youth Society

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course ( SOCI 3650 ) explores the social and cultural construction of adolescence in contemporary American society. Although much of the work in this area has been dominated by psychology, the central focus of the sociological study of adolescence will be to explore the perceptions, behaviors, and experiences of youth within the larger social context in which this transition to adulthood takes place. Adolescence is a life-stage where a great deal of meaning making is occurring about internal and external forces that have both individual and group consequences. Major themes will include: cultural and legal socialization of youth, crime and deviance, health and sexuality, employment and educational outcomes, and political behavior/civic engagement.