Human Development in Multicultural Contexts A Book of Readings

Preface Human Development in Multicultural Contextshighlights cultural influences on each of four major dimensions of development--the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social--during several stages of the life cycle: infancy, preschool, middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. This book of readings introduces students to theories, empirical research, and applications from a multicultural perspective that have become central to the field of life-cycle developmental psychology. Each chapter of the book is in two parts: an overview, which is the editor's discussion of how that particular life stage traditionally has been researched within the four dimensions of development--and of some important multicultural correctives to these portrayals--and readings, a selection of articles (in excerpted format) that present specific multicultural studies. Thus this book of readings can provide you with resources, insights, and techniques with which to balance the perspectives on gender, race, ethnicity, class, and sex in your other courses. It is assumed that students using Human Development in Multicultural Contextshave been introduced to the fundamentals of life-cycle developmental psychology through other textbooks and classes. This book of readings, therefore, is not intended to replace any textbook in developmental psychology; its goal is to supplement existing course materials by offering a multicultural perspective that has typically been lacking in textbooks on developmental psychology. Each chapter opens with "Questions for Reflection" that will guide your reading. I have also provided you with suggestions for further reading and some activities and questions to serve as a review of each chapter. Due to space limitations in this text, we were unable to reprint the readings in their entirety. We have provided you with the complete citation of the articles on the first page of each essay selection. I encourage you to continue your studies on multicultural issues in life-cycle developmental psychology by reading the articles in their entirety as they appeared in journal form. The authors provide a wealth of information on innovative research methodologies and suggestions for further research. I also encourage you to pursue your own research in life-cycle developmental psychology from a multicultural perspective.Paludi, Michele Antoinette is the author of 'Human Development in Multicultural Contexts A Book of Readings', published 2001 under ISBN 9780130195234 and ISBN 0130195235.