Our Framework
Social
Structure
- Social structure is any relatively enduring
pattern of social
arrangements within a particular society, organization, or
group.
Family and religion are the primary social
structures that effect children in India.
Remnants of the caste system are an example of a unique social
structure that divides Indian citizens into socio-economic groups by
birth.
Agency
- Agency is self-determination, volition, or
free will; it is the
power of individuals to act independently of the
determining constraints of social structure.
Children in India are agents in that they play a
large role in assisting in their own survival by working both inside and
outside of the home.
Autonomy is a matter of recognizing children's agency. Unfortunately,
autonomy is ambigious in India because parents expect complete obedience
from their children. Therefore, adults do not recognize children's
contributions.
Diversity
- Diversity refers to the variety of traits,
experiences, and
cultures of children within and across societies.
- In India, diversity is the result of cultural discrimination based on
age, gender, and socio-economic status.
- This diversity can be seen in education, labor, healthcare, and family
relationships. Our pages emphasize the diversity between the sexes.
- Children's experiences vary not only within India, but also between
all
cultures. Often, a particular culture's concepts about childhood are
taken for granted as universal.
Note: Definitions of
agency, diversity, and social structure are based on lectures and class
discussions by Professor
April Brayfield.
This website was created in the
Fall
of 1999
by
Matthew
Cardinale,
Amanda
Gitlin,
and Lindsey
Hollister, students at Tulane University. Our collaborate effort is
part of a class project for
Professor April
Brayfield's
Sociology 119:
Children
and Society Class. Information about children in other
countries can be found at
The
Children Around the World webpage.