Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life

Unequal Childhoods is a nonfiction sociological research study written by Annette Lareau in 2003 and republished in 2011 with a decade-later update on the subjects from the study. Lareau is an American sociologist with a doctorate in sociology. She currently teaches at the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences. Lareau spent two decades researching family life before undertaking her major project and continues doing research today. Lareau conducted her study at the turn of the 21st century and feels the problems she witnessed have only been exacerbated since then.

This study guide utilizes the 2011 edition of the book.

Summary

Lareau introduces her longitudinal ethnographic study into the influence of class and race on institutional success by explaining the two parenting styles she observed in her fieldwork: concerted cultivation and the accomplishment of natural growth. Concerted cultivation is upheld mainly by middle-class parents who wish to develop their children for success through organized activities, customizing of situations, and intentional language use. The accomplishment of natural growth is commonly upheld by working-class and poor parents and focuses more on fulfilling basic needs and ensuring the safety of the children.