Sociology 2105A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Youth Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Demographic Transition

• School: Western University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: Sociology 2105A/B
• Professor: James Cote

Document Summary

Chapter 2 theoretical approaches to the youth question. Functionalism shares its roots w/ cultural anthropology and was one of the first founding disciplines of the field of youth studies. It"s influence increased during the second phase of youth studies when youth began to rebel, which threatened cultural continuity and social integration. Adolescence/prolonged youth is viewed as a function of institutional and social changes that have occurred as a result of modernization and the industrialization. Argue that youth allows people to better prepare for the complexities of life. Coined the second demographic transition which describes the prolongation of youth in the life course. Some argue that youths delay entering into the workforce is a choice due to the lack of pressure there is to get married and have children. This theory is not applicable to developing and underdeveloped countries. Evolutionary approach argues that this allows more intergenerational investment for offspring, thus improving the species.