This volume brings together the work of scholars from varied disciplines such as human development, psychology, education, sociology/anthropology, women's studies and philosophy. The original essays centre around the theme of socialization', a theme which lends itself to interdisciplinary dialogue and a culture inclusive analysis of theoretical and methodological issues. The introduction defines the concepts of socialization and enculturation, and discusses some of the emerging concerns in the field.
The essays are grouped into four sections, covering a wide range of important issues such as qualitative research methods; substantive and theoretical concerns in the study of language, cognition and the development of distributive justice; gender issues related to self-esteem and empowerment, morality and mental health; sex-role development and socialization in formal educational settings; and applied human development with a focus on implications for interventions.