Applications of Dialogical Self Theory. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, Number 137

In an increasingly interconnected world, a dialogical self is not only possible but even necessary. People are closer together than ever, yet they are confronted with apparent and sometimes even insurmountable differences. While there is a need of increased dialogue between individuals, groups, and cultures, it is equally important to develop of dialogical potentials within the self of the individual person. Elaborating on these concerns, the authors present and discuss a Dialogical Self Theory based on the assumption that the self functions as a society of mind. The self is not simply participating in a “surrounding” society, but functions itself as a mini-society, which is, at the same time, part of the society at large. The authors: Present the theory in detail Explore the developmental origins of the dialogical self Elaborate on the identity development of adolescents growing up in multicultural societies Discuss a striking example of a social movement in India, where individual and collective voices merge in a nationwide protest. This is the 137th volume in this series. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in child and adolescent development. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts on that topic.

In this volume, African scholars engaged in research on the continent reflect on their recent and ongoing empirical studies. They discuss the strengths and limitations of research methods, theories, and interventions designed outside Africa to spur innovative research on the continent. And they explore how insights from African philosophical, theoretical, and empirical work can be combined with exogenous forms of knowledge to generate understanding of the processes of African children’s development in ways that are responsive to local contexts and meaningful for indigenous stakeholders. A new field of African child development research is emerging in African societies, focusing on children as valued and vulnerable members of society and potential civic leaders of the future. Systematic inquiries are now designed to enhance our understanding of how African children think, to discover effective ways of communicating with them, and to inform successful strategies of promoting their health, education, and preparation for adult responsibilities in society. This is the 146th volume in this Jossey-Bass series New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in this subject area. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts from that field.

Developing healthy sexual behaviors is critical to adolescents’ wellbeing. While more emphasis has been on negative outcomes, there are broad positive implications for physical health, mental health, intimate relationships, and identity development. To fully understand the impact, we need to understand both. In addition, the impact of sexual behavior is not universal, but may differ based on individuals’ demographic, relational, contextual, and attitudinal factors. This volume provides a framework for understanding the complex role of sexual behavior in adolescents’ lives, with a specific focus on the roles of sexual minority status, internet-based sexual experiences, relationship context, and sexual learning through formal and informal sex education in determining the outcomes of sexual behavior. It provides: A nuanced, multidimensional understanding of the role of sexual behavior in shaping adolescents’ development and well-being Important directions for future research Recommendations for sexuality education, prevention, and intervention programs. This is the 144th volume in this Jossey-Bass series New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in this subject area. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts from that field.

Examine the structure and context of identity development in a number of different countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Italy, China, and Japan. While some identity development proceeds in much the same way across national contexts, this issue suggests that there are important nuances in the ways in which identity unfolds in each country. Macrocultural forces, such as permissiveness in Sweden, collective guilt in Germany, and filial piety in China, direct the identity development process in important ways. Expectations regarding obligations and ties to family also direct the identity development process differently in many of the countries included in this volume—such as extended co-residence with parents in Italy, lifelong obligations to follow parents' wishes in China, and democratic independence in Sweden. The various countries are compared and contrasted against the United States, where much of the early identity research was conducted. The volume also reviews specific identity challenges facing immigrant and ethnic-minority individuals in countries that receive large numbers of immigrants—Germany, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy—and suggests many future directions for identity research in various parts of the world. This is the 138th volume in this series. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in child and adolescent development. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts on that topic.

Examine the structure and context of identity development in a number of different countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Italy, China, and Japan. While some identity development proceeds in much the same way across national contexts, this issue suggests that there are important nuances in the ways in which identity unfolds in each country. Macrocultural forces, such as permissiveness in Sweden, collective guilt in Germany, and filial piety in China, direct the identity development process in important ways. Expectations regarding obligations and ties to family also direct the identity development process differently in many of the countries included in this volume—such as extended co-residence with parents in Italy, lifelong obligations to follow parents' wishes in China, and democratic independence in Sweden. The various countries are compared and contrasted against the United States, where much of the early identity research was conducted. The volume also reviews specific identity challenges facing immigrant and ethnic-minority individuals in countries that receive large numbers of immigrants—Germany, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy—and suggests many future directions for identity research in various parts of the world. This is the 138th volume in this series. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in child and adolescent development. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts on that topic.

Explore how the peer relationship and extracurricular organized activities—like sports, the arts, and community-based organizations—influence academic functioning, social development, and problem behavior. This volume shows how out-of-school activity offers an ideal context to study peer processes, and to explore both how and why peers matter for organized activity participation. Starting with the theoretical and empirical research on peers and organized activities, it goes on to address several questions including: Does co-participating in an organized activity with your friend improve the quality of the relationship? When do peer relations amplify the benefits of participating and when do they exacerbate negative outcomes? Does participation in organized activities help adolescents manage difficult transition periods? Finally, the volume concludes with a conceptual framework to guide future research on how organized activity characteristics influence peer processes and how these processes within organized activity contexts influence outcomes for adolescents. This is the 140th volume in this series. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in child and adolescent development. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts on that topic.

Explore the complexities of international independent child migration. This volume gives particular focus to agency and vulnerability as central concepts for understanding the diverse experiences of children who have migrated alone. Combining perspectives from academics and practitioners, the volume is filled with thought-provoking insights into the nature of current programmatic interventions for independent child migrants. It further invites critical reflection on the complex socio-economic, political, and cultural contexts in which migration decisions are taken. Contributors recognize that independent child migrants, despite vulnerabilities, are active decision-makers in determining movement, responding to violent and discriminatory situations, resisting stereotypical assumptions, and figuring out integration and life choices as these are shaped by existing structural opportunities and constraints. This is the 136th volume in this series. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in child and adolescent development. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts on that topic.

Take an in depth look at how emotions relate to adolescents’ decision making, reasoning, and behavior in morally relevant situations. It provides a summary of current research on emotions, morality, and adaptive behaviors. Furthermore, it discusses new approaches to research on emotions, morality, and socially adaptive behavior in adolescence. By doing so, the articles provide new insights into adolescents’ emotional and moral development and show how emotions contribute to the way adolescents negotiate, resolve, and adapt to the moral and social conflicts that inevitably occur in their everyday lives. By integrating innovative perspectives from developmental, educational, and clinical research, this volume has much to offer for researchers, youth practitioners, and educators. This is the 136th volume of New Directions for Youth Development, the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series dedicated to bringing together everyone concerned with helping young people, including scholars, practitioners, and people from different disciplines and professions.

Take a cutting edge look at the civic engagement of young people. Increasingly recognized as an important feature of democratic functioning in communities, it has also become clear that the civic domain is indispensable as a context for understanding human development processes. This volume proposes the following central theses in relation to youth civic development: It is rooted in the realities of young people’s everyday lives. It is collectively constructed. It raises questions about the principles, values, and relationships that bind people together in societies. It raises questions about power and justice. Youth civic development pushes the field to focus on the social issues with which younger generations are grappling and the identities they are constructing—issues that also are shaped by structural inequalities and by the collective actions of youth. The volume builds on themes of agency and assets from the field of positive youth development and points to ways that the critical analysis and engagement of young people in their society can contribute to social change. This is the 134th volume in this series. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in child and adolescent development. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts on that topic.

Gain a nuanced understanding of parent–adolescent conflict in Chinese- and Mexican-origin families in the United States. This volume explores key issues related to family conflict such as acculturation gaps parent and adolescent internal conflicts conflict resolution seeking out confidants for help in coping with conflict. This volume showcases the complexity of conflict among Chinese- and Mexican-origin families and furthers our understanding of how both developmental and cultural sources of parent–adolescent conflict are linked to adjustment. This is the 135th volume in this series. Its mission is to provide scientific and scholarly presentations on cutting edge issues and concepts in child and adolescent development. Each volume focuses on a specific new direction or research topic and is edited by experts on that topic.