logo

53 pages 1 hour read

Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2003

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Annette Lareau

Unequal Childhoods

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2003
Book Details
Pages

343

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

United States • 2000s

Publication Year

2003

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

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.

Informative

Challenging

Contemplative

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

4.4

3,792 ratings

81%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

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.

4.4

3,792 ratings

81%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

343

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

United States • 2000s

Publication Year

2003

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.