Columbia University Social Control of Children Discussion

1.Summarize Twenge’s findings on teen use of “new media”, and her argument about how social media use might affect teens’ mental health. Next, describe Pugh’s concept of the economy of dignity and discuss how social media could be viewed in terms of the economy of dignity and concepts like “scrip”, in light of your discussion of Twenge’s work. Finally, if we treat social media as part of teens’ economy of dignity, what would you predict about how parents from different social class backgrounds might respond to their children’s social media desires and why? Do the graphs below from the Pew Research Center fit into your predictions?

2.Over the last few weeks, we have considered two different examples of social control around children’s school behavior that is labeled as deviant or disruptive: criminalization and medicalization. Use class readings to define and explain each perspective. Then, compare and contrast the following for each perspective a) processes for how teachers and school personnel take action around disruptive school behavior b) how they think about the source of the behavior, and c) the possible consequences of the different approaches for students’ academic trajectories, according to the authors you are citing. Finally, what do the arguments you have summarized above along with the graphs below suggest about how school discipline practices are socially patterned? Refer to both the graphs and class readings to support your answer.

Again, see the PDF version of the final for the graphs.