Department of Sociology

Tola Olu Pearce
Professor

Ibitola Pearce received her Ph.D. from Brown University and been in our department since 1994. Her areas of specialization include medical sociology, race/ethnic/minority relations, and development.

Research Interests

The Meaning of Childhood: Cross Cultural Perspectives

Research underway in collaboration with Johnetta Morrison (Human Development and Family Studies) on children's perspectives of family like and their place within families. The study will compare the "life worlds" of black and white children in the USA, and South Africa. The segment on South Africa was completed during summer of 1999.

The theoretical framework takes children as participants in their own socialization, rather than passive absorbers of the socialization process (Denzin 1977; Cahill 1986; Handel 1990; Carsaro 1990). In the changing family environment, we seek to know what family means to children and how they perceive their place with in it.

In addition to our general interest in understanding childhood from the child's perspective, my own particular emphasis is to explore the ways in which children (8-11 years old) as actors perceive and interact with (family) structures and negotiate childhood. My focus will be on the issue of moral development and socialization. Reviewing the work of Gilligan (1982), Stack (1994) argues that the development of an 'ethic of justice' and an 'ethic of caring' should not be seen as essentially male or female, that children's views on these issues develop against the background of class, race and historical period. The actual pattern of morality will depend on the group's position in society. Children must construct their roles as children in a particular environment.

The Study of Women in the informal sector in Nigeria

Research conducted among food vendors in lle lfe, Nigeria (in collaboration with 0.0. Kujore--Community nurse and former chair of the Department of Nursing at lfe). The research involves two projects among 360 market women. The second of these dealt with women as lay health care providers and breadwinners within the family and community. Various aspects of women's activities were researched including health knowledge, economic activities, and childcare beliefs and practices. In addition, a comprehensive training program was conducted for 64 food vendors among the traders. This was an improvement on an old government program. The study was conducted between 1989 and 1992 with a grant from the Ford Foundation. A long term evaluation of the training program was conducted with a grant from the University of Missouri in 1997. Journal articles, conference papers and book chapters have been produced, and a book is underway.

Courses Taught

Gender and Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspective
Problems and Issues in Feminist Scholarship: Postcolonial Feminism
Race and Ethnic Relations
Social Inequality
Social Perspectives on Aging
Social Perspectives on Women, Race and Class
The politics of Reproduction and Fertility Control
Women, Development and Globalization

Recent Publications

"The Contextual Impact of Development and Globalization on African Women".
      University of Missouri, Peace Studies 2005. Vol 2: pp 49-6.

"Cultural Production and Reproductive Issues: The Significance of the
      Charismatic Movement in Nigeria" (2002) in Religion and Sexuality in Cross
      Cultural Perspective. Edited by Ellingson, S and C. Green, Routledge.

"Human Rights and Sociology: Some Observations from Africa." (2001) Social
      Problems. Vol 48-1:48-56.

"Keeping Children Healthy: The Challenge of Preventive Care Among Women in
      Southwestern Nigeria" (2000). Journal of Comparative Family Studies.

312 Middlebush Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211-6100
(573) 882-8331
Fax: (573) 884-6430