Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
Coming of Age in London
Instructor(s): Thomas (Pat) Oles, Social Work
When does adolescence end and adulthood begin? Is there a distinct period of life
called emerging adulthood? How is emerging adulthood expressed in family relationships,
at work, school, and in peer relationships? Does emerging adulthood vary by race,
gender, class and culture? How does emerging adulthood in England compare to coming
of age in the United States?
Coming of age brings big changes in identity and relationships, new roles, and more
responsibility. It involves families, peers, schools, and employers, as well as norms,
laws, and policy. In this course, students examine the developmental experiences of
emerging adults and relevant social institutions in the US and in the UK.
This course is interdisciplinary, drawing most significantly on psychology, sociology,
anthropology, and literature and asks you to do what Virginia Woolf did so well in
her novel "A Room of One's Own": observe, critique, and reflect on emerging adulthood.