Furstenberg analyzes the seemingly unnoticed socially stratified society in modern day America. Through this article, the author looks at the disparity between those in the lower social-economic ranks which he refers to as the disadvantaged families and those who are at the top of the social ladder, which he refers to as the advantaged families. His analysis is centered on the stages of a child’s development from prenatal stage to childhood and ultimately to early adulthood and the different experiences that children from the two family categories have which ultimately determine their position in the social ladder.
Child from a disadvantaged family
A child from a disadvantaged family is exposed to certain conditions at the prenatal stage that ultimately determine their brain development. The type of maternal care given to the unborn child for example diet to the mother during pregnancy, neonatal care to the infant and exposure to toxins (Furstenberg "Diverging development”). Since parents from disadvantaged families do not have resources to give high-quality care to their children at these stages, their brain development does not develop as those of advantaged families.
Parents from disadvantaged families do not have resources to afford certain social settings that are determinants to a child’s future. The experience from disadvantaged children hence is that they cannot get good caregivers, they cannot go to good schools and be exposed to the right peers and coaches.
Disadvantaged families do not have the financial capabilities to choose places where to settle. This, therefore, means that their children do not have the privilege of living in affluent environments where they get favorable influence.
As opposed to advantaged families, disadvantaged families do not enjoy the privilege of being able to deal with negative events like mental health problems, divorce, credit loss and criminal victimization (Furstenberg "Diverging development”). They are, therefore, vulnerable and are affected by these conditions as their counterparts in high social class easily solve them.
At the early adult stage, children from disadvantaged families experience the burden of going through college. At times they are not able to sustain themselves at school even if their tuition fee is taken care of by loans (Furstenberg "Diverging development”). Due to such difficulties, there is a high rate of college drop out by children from disadvantaged families. This experience ultimately limits their success in the social ladder.
Works Cited
Furstenberg, Frank F. "Diverging development: The not-so-invisible hand of social class in the United States." Network on Transitions to Adulthood Research Network. Available at http://www. transad. pop. upenn. edu (2006).
