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We're Friends, Right?: Inside Kids' Culture by William A. CorsaroReview by: Laurie SchaffnerContemporary Sociology, Vol. 33, No. 6 (Nov., 2004), pp. 670-671Published by: American Sociological AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3593842 .Accessed: 07/02/2012 20:34

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670 Intimate Relationships, Family, and Life Course70 Intimate Relationships, Family, and Life Coursecome out as they do and what the findingsfrom Baoding maymean for our understand-ing of familyrelationshipselsewhere will findlittle interpretationat this level. The focusand strengthof the chapters is their presen-tation of descriptive and multivariateresultsthat introduce the Chinese family to aWestern reader. For example the analysis ofretirement shows that while age and poorhealth are strong predictorsof being retired,there are also great disparitiesbetween menand women (perhaps mostly due to the offi-cial age of retirement)and substantial bene-fits (in terms of being able to continueworking and drawing a salary) for personswith more education and for Partymembers.Though parents are more likely to live withsons than with daughters, daughters aremore likely to provide household help. Thecomposition of the family also counts: Eachchild helps more when there are fewer chil-dren to share the responsibility. Exchangeofhelp is greater among coresiding familymembers, but coresidence has no effect onfinancial exchanges. And, contradictingeco-nomic theories of intergenerationalrelations,early parental investments in children haveno impact on currenthelp from children toparents.These and other findings are based onwell-constructed multivariate models, pre-ceded by careful descriptiveexposition. Thecontributorscollectivelyprovide a strongfirstset of findingsthatmaywell stimulatefurtheranalysis now that this data set has beenarchived at ICPSR.China's Revolutions andIntergenerationalRelations is a very usefulsourcebook for scholars who may wish to dosuch research and for readers interested in awide ranging introduction to contemporaryChinese family patterns.

come out as they do and what the findingsfrom Baoding maymean for our understand-ing of familyrelationshipselsewhere will findlittle interpretationat this level. The focusand strengthof the chapters is their presen-tation of descriptive and multivariateresultsthat introduce the Chinese family to aWestern reader. For example the analysis ofretirement shows that while age and poorhealth are strong predictorsof being retired,there are also great disparitiesbetween menand women (perhaps mostly due to the offi-cial age of retirement)and substantial bene-fits (in terms of being able to continueworking and drawing a salary) for personswith more education and for Partymembers.Though parents are more likely to live withsons than with daughters, daughters aremore likely to provide household help. Thecomposition of the family also counts: Eachchild helps more when there are fewer chil-dren to share the responsibility. Exchangeofhelp is greater among coresiding familymembers, but coresidence has no effect onfinancial exchanges. And, contradictingeco-nomic theories of intergenerationalrelations,early parental investments in children haveno impact on currenthelp from children toparents.These and other findings are based onwell-constructed multivariate models, pre-ceded by careful descriptiveexposition. Thecontributorscollectivelyprovide a strongfirstset of findingsthatmaywell stimulatefurtheranalysis now that this data set has beenarchived at ICPSR.China's Revolutions andIntergenerationalRelations is a very usefulsourcebook for scholars who may wish to dosuch research and for readers interested in awide ranging introduction to contemporaryChinese family patterns.We'reFriends, Right?:Inside Kids' Culture, byWilliam A. Corsaro. Washington, D.C.:Joseph Henry Press, 2003. 248 pp. $22.95paper. ISBN:0-309-08729-5.LAURIE CHAFFNERUniversity of Illinois at Chicagoschaff@uic.eduIn this accessibly written monograph,William Corsaro sits down in the sandboxwith preschool children in order to enterContemporarySociology33, 6

We'reFriends, Right?:Inside Kids' Culture, byWilliam A. Corsaro. Washington, D.C.:Joseph Henry Press, 2003. 248 pp. $22.95paper. ISBN:0-309-08729-5.LAURIE CHAFFNERUniversity of Illinois at Chicagoschaff@uic.eduIn this accessibly written monograph,William Corsaro sits down in the sandboxwith preschool children in order to enterContemporarySociology33, 6

their social worlds and uncover kids' cul-tures. A pioneer of interpretive sociology,Corsarogives us a firsthand ook at everydayinteractions and meaning-making of youngchildren. He also outlines the developmentalimplications for those interactions. Theempiricalbases for his analyses-his obser-vations of children's sharing, playing, rule-breaking, and relations to authority-arepresented in delightful vignettes, and drivehis sociological interpretationof children'sworlds as peer cultures in their own right.Inan atmosphere that is increasingly punitiveand pathologizingtowardchildren, Corsaro'swork counters with a humanisticunderstand-ing of the choices children make in order todevelop socially.In We'reFriends, Right? Corsaro drawsfromethnographicobservations he has madeover the last three decades, in three settings:a middle-class preschool in California, aHead Startprogram in Indiana, and an ele-mentaryschool in Italy.Because he has con-ducted a considerable amount of researchinthis field, this reader was unsure whichinsights were new to this book, and whichhad been previously published elsewhere.Even so, presenting these comparativedatatogether here forms a nice challenge to thestrongly held behavioralisttheory that chil-dren learnlargelyin a unilateral ashion fromadults. He contends that such understandingminimizes the influence of the collectiveprocess of cultural interaction among chil-dren as they develop. Corsaro expertlydemonstrates how preschool children orga-nize and utilize "peer culture"to negotiatechildhood through learningfrom their collab-orative work in sharing, friendship, fantasy,role-play,and conflict resolution.For example, after closely observing chil-dren's interactions when they do not allowsomeone to play with them, Corsaro chal-lenges the extant belief among some indevelopmental psychology that holds thatchildren are inherently selfish and must betaught by adults to share. After lookingdeeply into this seeming cruelty, Corsarofinds that, in not allowing another child toenter and possibly interrupt ongoing play,children are actually protecting the sharingthat is underway. In such cases, he argues,children want to continue sharingwhat theyare already sharing together. Where othersocial scientists see cruelty and selfishness,

their social worlds and uncover kids' cul-tures. A pioneer of interpretive sociology,Corsarogives us a firsthand ook at everydayinteractions and meaning-making of youngchildren. He also outlines the developmentalimplications for those interactions. Theempiricalbases for his analyses-his obser-vations of children's sharing, playing, rule-breaking, and relations to authority-arepresented in delightful vignettes, and drivehis sociological interpretationof children'sworlds as peer cultures in their own right.Inan atmosphere that is increasingly punitiveand pathologizingtowardchildren, Corsaro'swork counters with a humanisticunderstand-ing of the choices children make in order todevelop socially.In We'reFriends, Right? Corsaro drawsfromethnographicobservations he has madeover the last three decades, in three settings:a middle-class preschool in California, aHead Startprogram in Indiana, and an ele-mentaryschool in Italy.Because he has con-ducted a considerable amount of researchinthis field, this reader was unsure whichinsights were new to this book, and whichhad been previously published elsewhere.Even so, presenting these comparativedatatogether here forms a nice challenge to thestrongly held behavioralisttheory that chil-dren learnlargelyin a unilateral ashion fromadults. He contends that such understandingminimizes the influence of the collectiveprocess of cultural interaction among chil-dren as they develop. Corsaro expertlydemonstrates how preschool children orga-nize and utilize "peer culture"to negotiatechildhood through learningfrom their collab-orative work in sharing, friendship, fantasy,role-play,and conflict resolution.For example, after closely observing chil-dren's interactions when they do not allowsomeone to play with them, Corsaro chal-lenges the extant belief among some indevelopmental psychology that holds thatchildren are inherently selfish and must betaught by adults to share. After lookingdeeply into this seeming cruelty, Corsarofinds that, in not allowing another child toenter and possibly interrupt ongoing play,children are actually protecting the sharingthat is underway. In such cases, he argues,children want to continue sharingwhat theyare already sharing together. Where othersocial scientists see cruelty and selfishness,

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Work, Organizations, and Markets 671ork, Organizations, and Markets 671Corsaroopens our eyes to intricateprocessesin affirmationof ongoing bonding and main-taining intimacy.Corsaro'swritingis a beautifulexample ofhow to seamlessly weave compelling ethno-graphic accounts into the body of sociologi-cal narrative. He demonstrates his masteryover the craft as he shifts voices in a seem-ingly effortless way so that we hear thewords of the children and then grasphis the-oreticalinsights.This monographis an essen-tial addition to our syllabi in courses rangingfrom social psychology to the sociology ofchildrenand youth. It would be an excellentchoice for introductory sociology classes toexemplify qualitativemethodology.The basicmessage from William Corsaro's We'reFriends,Right?isthatchildrenare social, andlearn and grow socially among adults, butalso among other children and their own cul-tures. This is sociology at its best.

Corsaroopens our eyes to intricateprocessesin affirmationof ongoing bonding and main-taining intimacy.Corsaro'swritingis a beautifulexample ofhow to seamlessly weave compelling ethno-graphic accounts into the body of sociologi-cal narrative. He demonstrates his masteryover the craft as he shifts voices in a seem-ingly effortless way so that we hear thewords of the children and then grasphis the-oreticalinsights.This monographis an essen-tial addition to our syllabi in courses rangingfrom social psychology to the sociology ofchildrenand youth. It would be an excellentchoice for introductory sociology classes toexemplify qualitativemethodology.The basicmessage from William Corsaro's We'reFriends,Right?isthatchildrenare social, andlearn and grow socially among adults, butalso among other children and their own cul-tures. This is sociology at its best.

WORK,ORGANIZATIONS,AND MARKETS

WORK,ORGANIZATIONS,AND MARKETS

Research in the Sociology of Work, Vol. 11:LaborRevitalization: GlobalPerspectivesandNew Initiatives, edited by Daniel B.Cornfield and Holly J. McCammon.Amsterdam,NDL; Boston, MA:Elsevier/JAI,2003. 294 pages. $90.00 cloth. ISBN:0-7623-0882-6.DAN CLAWSONUniversity of Massachusetts-Amherstclawson @sadri. mass.eduLabor is under assault, and losing ground,not only in the United Statesbut in much ofthe world. Neoliberalism, n variouspolitical-economic-social-cultural manifestations,attemptsto replace solidarity,regulation,andplanning with marketcompetition, privatiza-tion, and globalization.Slowly, often reluctantly, and haltingly,labor is beginning to respond. The responsesoften take place in a quasi-vacuum, witheach group independently rediscoveringcer-tain bedrock principles (democratic unions,

Research in the Sociology of Work, Vol. 11:LaborRevitalization: GlobalPerspectivesandNew Initiatives, edited by Daniel B.Cornfield and Holly J. McCammon.Amsterdam,NDL; Boston, MA:Elsevier/JAI,2003. 294 pages. $90.00 cloth. ISBN:0-7623-0882-6.DAN CLAWSONUniversity of Massachusetts-Amherstclawson @sadri. mass.eduLabor is under assault, and losing ground,not only in the United Statesbut in much ofthe world. Neoliberalism, n variouspolitical-economic-social-cultural manifestations,attemptsto replace solidarity,regulation,andplanning with marketcompetition, privatiza-tion, and globalization.Slowly, often reluctantly, and haltingly,labor is beginning to respond. The responsesoften take place in a quasi-vacuum, witheach group independently rediscoveringcer-tain bedrock principles (democratic unions,

forging a wider solidarity,surprisingemploy-ers and the statewith innovativeactions,anddeveloping new forms). But often as well,labor movements learn from one another.Althoughlaboris nowhere near as globalizedas corporations, movements often self-con-sciously borrow from each other.Unfortunately,althoughthe U.S. labor move-ment is weak and ineffective, since theUnited States is the world's hyperpower,most of the borrowing consists of othercountriesadoptingelements of the U.S. mod-el, or patterning themselves after U.S.lessons, even when the other country's abormovement is far stronger than that in theUnited States.

Labor Revitalization, edited by DanCornfieldand Holly McCammon,presents acollection of articleson a varietyof countries.The articles do not attemptto present ency-clopedic overviews; rathereach has a partic-ular slant, and focuses on a specific issue,although in many cases this in effectbecomes an introduction-overview to thecharacterof labor relations in the country inquestion. The nine country-specific articlescover seven countries: Venezuela, Brazil,Mexico (two articles), Australia, Korea, theNetherlands,and Britain two articles).It is agood mix of countries, including manyof themost interesting cases, but editorial choiceand limitationsof space mean that it omitsCanada,all of EasternEurope and almost allof Western Europe, most of Asia, and all ofAfrica (including South Africa). In addition,Cornfield and McCammon present anIntroduction,and Lowell Turnerprovides acomparative perspective on reviving thelabor movement. I particularlyiked Turner'sargument that "periods of popular protest,including rank-and-filemobilization as wellas broad coalitionbuilding, are necessaryforthe revitalization of labor movements"(p.24), an argument very similar to that I makein my own recent work.Most of the book's appeal is to those whoare focused on labor and are using the bookas a stimulus to thinking more creatively.Otherswill drawdifferentlessons, but let menote a few of the points that struck me.First, the impact of neoliberalism is (notsurprisingly)pervasive. MargaretThatcher'sregime caused union density to drop from 56percent in 1979 to 30 percent in 1997, thesort of drop thatusually occurs only when a

forging a wider solidarity,surprisingemploy-ers and the statewith innovativeactions,anddeveloping new forms). But often as well,labor movements learn from one another.Althoughlaboris nowhere near as globalizedas corporations, movements often self-con-sciously borrow from each other.Unfortunately,althoughthe U.S. labor move-ment is weak and ineffective, since theUnited States is the world's hyperpower,most of the borrowing consists of othercountriesadoptingelements of the U.S. mod-el, or patterning themselves after U.S.lessons, even when the other country's abormovement is far stronger than that in theUnited States.

Labor Revitalization, edited by DanCornfieldand Holly McCammon,presents acollection of articleson a varietyof countries.The articles do not attemptto present ency-clopedic overviews; rathereach has a partic-ular slant, and focuses on a specific issue,although in many cases this in effectbecomes an introduction-overview to thecharacterof labor relations in the country inquestion. The nine country-specific articlescover seven countries: Venezuela, Brazil,Mexico (two articles), Australia, Korea, theNetherlands,and Britain two articles).It is agood mix of countries, including manyof themost interesting cases, but editorial choiceand limitationsof space mean that it omitsCanada,all of EasternEurope and almost allof Western Europe, most of Asia, and all ofAfrica (including South Africa). In addition,Cornfield and McCammon present anIntroduction,and Lowell Turnerprovides acomparative perspective on reviving thelabor movement. I particularlyiked Turner'sargument that "periods of popular protest,including rank-and-filemobilization as wellas broad coalitionbuilding, are necessaryforthe revitalization of labor movements"(p.24), an argument very similar to that I makein my own recent work.Most of the book's appeal is to those whoare focused on labor and are using the bookas a stimulus to thinking more creatively.Otherswill drawdifferentlessons, but let menote a few of the points that struck me.First, the impact of neoliberalism is (notsurprisingly)pervasive. MargaretThatcher'sregime caused union density to drop from 56percent in 1979 to 30 percent in 1997, thesort of drop thatusually occurs only when a

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