53 pages 1 hour read

Annette Lareau

Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2003

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

In Unequal Childhoods, Annette Lareau explores how social class and race affect children's success through two parenting styles: concerted cultivation, favored by middle-class families, and the accomplishment of natural growth, practiced by working-class and poor families. Lareau's ethnographic study reveals how these styles shape children's lives, relationships with institutions, and eventual social mobility.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Annette Lareau's Unequal Childhoods is praised for its detailed ethnographic approach and insightful analysis of class and parenting styles, highlighting how socio-economic status influences children's futures. Some critiques mention its limited sample size and perceived overgeneralization. Overall, it's considered a compelling read for those interested in sociology and education.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Unequal Childhoods?

Readers who enjoy Unequal Childhoods by Annette Lareau are often interested in sociology, education, and the impact of social class on child development. Fans of works like Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell or The Spirit Level by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett will appreciate Lareau's in-depth, ethnographic approach and nuanced insights.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

Sociology

Class

Race / Racism

Themes

Society: Class

Society: Education

Society: Economics