American individualisms : child rearing and social class in three neighborhoods / Adrie S. Kusserow.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kusserow, Adrie

Series:

Culture, mind, and society

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social classes--New York (State)--New York.

Social classes.

Child rearing--Social aspects--New York (State)--New York.

Child rearing.

Socialization--New York (State)--New York.

Socialization.

Individualism--New York (State)--New York.

Individualism.

Child rearing--Social aspects.

New York (N.Y.)--Social conditions.

New York (N.Y.).

National Book Committee.

Social conditions.

New York (State)--New York.

Physical Description:

xiii, 207 pages ; 24 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.

Summary:

What are hard and soft individualisms? In this detailed ethnography of three communities in Manhattan and Queens. Adrie Kusserow interviews parents and teachers (from wealthy to those on welfare) on the types of hard and soft individualisms they encourage in their children and students. American Individualisms explores the important issue of class differences in the socialization of individualism in America. It presents American individualism not as one single homogeneous, stereotypic life-pattern as often claimed to be, but as variable, class-differentiated models of individualism instilled in young children by their parents and preschool teachers in Manhattan and Queens. By providing rich descriptions of the situational, class-based individualisms that take root in communities with vastly different visions of the future. Kusserow brings social inequality back into previously bland and generic discussions of American individualism.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Ethnographic Method and Context 1

Chapter 2 American Individualism and Social Class Revisited 19

Chapter 3 Queenston and Kelley Ethnoconceptions of the Child's Self: The Soft-Hard Continuum and Establishment of Firm Boundaries to the Self 35

Chapter 4 Queenston Hard Protective Individualism vs. Kelley Hard Projective Individualism 57

Chapter 5 Individualism and Ethnoconceptions of the Child's Self in Parkside 81

Chapter 6 Queenston and Kelley Preschools 113

Chapter 7 Parkside Preschools 137

Chapter 8 Balancing Psychologized Individualism with Societal Constraints and Uncovering the True Self 151

Conclusion: The Varieties of Individualism 169

Appendix A Sample Letter for Parents 189.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [194]-203) and index.

ISBN:

1403964815

1403964807

OCLC:

53903751