Babies; A Cross-cultural Qualitative Study of Social Structure

Even before we are born, individuals are connected to other people (both literally and figuratively).  And after we are born into the world as unique individuals, people are dependent on others for survival. This unit will help you see the connection we have to others and how this social connection affects us.  Since this connection begins even before birth, we will start with an analysis of babies from before they are even born.  This analysis is possible because of a French documentary film called "Babies" (2010).  

This film is like a qualitative, cross-cultural ethnographic study.  The filmmaker follows four babies in four different countries through the first year of their lives.  The filmmaker refrains from commentary or narration so that we may simply observe the social development of these babies and come to our own conclusions.

Babies (2010)

Watch the trailer here

Available on Amazon Prime Video here or here.

Watch the birth scenes (3:35-10:35) and see the very different cultures that each baby is born into.

The movie is rated PG, however, there are scenes of babies breastfeeding. If you have an issue with this, please let me know.

Babies and their birth country:

·       Ponijao, Namibia

·       Bayarjargal, Mongolia

·       Mari, Japan

·       Hattie, United States

A cross-cultural, qualitative ethnographic study;

We will watch the film to gather data in order to hypothesize about how babies' social structures might influence them.

As you watch, think about the social structure that will nurture the babies.

Here are some guiding questions to keep in mind as we conduct this cross-cultural qualitative ethnography:

Culture

One of the first aspects of social influence is culture.  Before birth, culture shapes the baby's growth in utero.  Then, people are born into and surrounded by culture.   Some aspects of culture we can see - like material culture, and some aspects of culture we cannot see, also called non-material culture.  

The shared meaning of tangible things:

1.  What are some examples of material culture in the film and what are the meanings that are given to each example?

and non-tangible things:

2.  What are examples of non-material culture in the film?  What can you hypothesize about the shared meaning that each baby learns about the non-material culture?  What should a family look like?  What is considered normal behavior?  What should a home look like?  What should be valued in life?  

3.  Important agents of socialization in the movie:

Family - what family is around in the video/who is considered family? what importance is shown to family?  

Peers -  how are the babies introduced to peers?  

School - what early experiences do the kids have with school?

Media - what early experiences do kids have with media?

For all of the above, look for both similarities and differences among babies.

This follow-up from Focus Features checks back in on the kids ten years later.