Canadian Families Change & Diversity

This course introduces students to different windows (theories) to understanding the issues families and children face. These sociological theories or perspectives are used to guide our thinking as applied to family life in all its forms. The intent is to learn how to best support the lives of children and parents as they work through various stressors to achieve success in their social worlds of education, work and leisure. The course is focused on the changing worlds and social structures that affect Canadian families, with particular emphasis on how the increasingly diverse nature of families shape policy, interactions, life-ways as well as living their day to day lives. Students will be encouraged to recognize the historical nature that has built Canadian values and the increasing challenges presented by achieving postmodern lives, GBLTQIP, ethnicity, economics, immigration and diversity that continue to shape beliefs, traditions and Canadian culture. Diversity both directly and indirectly shapes the experiences of all Canadian children. Students will develop skill in critical thinking and basic research and apply this knowledge to family and children's lives. Small picture or family issues are analyzed through the perspectives of economics, globalization, and culture.