Spanish 790D - Decolonizing Child-Raising

Bringing together economics and linguistics, this course will critically examine public narratives around parenting and the raising of young children in a global context, drawing from intersectional, decolonial feminist political economy as well as a new line of linguistic inquiry examining the relationship between language and attachment. We will explore the theories from three distinct but overlapping feminist epistemologies: intersectionality, decolonial feminism, and social reproduction feminism. These traditions will be put into conversation with one another to highlight potential synergies. We will draw on feminist political economy which emphasizes how the care of future generations of workers represents a source of working-class women?s exploitation, as well as their revolutionary potential. From the language side, students will be introduced to attachment theory, exploring to the various roles that language plays in attachment. We will explore the ontogeny of language with respect to attachment, the role of language in the survival of human infants and caregiver response to language, and the role of specific ?niches? (e.g. breastfeeding, sleeping) in language development, paying attention to fundamental differences between Western and non-Western societies. Within this context, students will take a critical look at public discourses around childcare (including language development) and parenting advice by ?experts."

Open to Graduate students only. Open to Graduate Students only.
Cross-listed with ECON 790D