Childhood and Education in the United States and Russia: Sociological and Comparative Perspectives

Current tensions between the U.S. and Russia are at their highest since the end of the Cold War. In such circumstances, it is imperative to go beyond headlines and rhetoric and take a closer look at the texture of Russian and American societies. Childhood and Education in the United States and Russia provides a rich illustration of the social processes within these countries. Through an extensive interdisciplinary literature review from different fields (sociology, education, history and political science) and quantitative analyses of both national and international datasets, this book explores three main questions. First, to what extent does the institution of education intersect with (or even overtake) the institution of childhood in these two countries? Over the last several decades, with the rapid expansion of higher education, we observe a greater emphasis on academic outcomes throughout childhood which, in turn, makes parenting further geared to academic success. We understand and often measure childhood in terms of academic achievement; there is an increasing emphasis on preschool education both at the individual level of a family and the macro level of a country. Second, sociological research shows profound inequality existing within and between countries that affects children’s everyday experiences, as well as their lifelong chances. To what extent is childhood stratified by the social background into which a child is born in Russia and the US? Finally, to what extent (if any) do we observe the strengthening of children’s agency, both in theoretical developments in sociology of education and childhood, and educational practice and parental strategies? Throughout the book childhood is conceptualized utilizing the lenses of capitals. In addition to cultural and social capital, a particular attention is paid to the role emotional capital plays in the lives of children and their families. By discussing education and childhood from a sociological perspective with a focus on similarities and differences by time and place, this book will prove an invaluable resource for students and researchers in the fields of Sociology of Education, Sociology of Childhood and Comparative and International Education.