Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2021 -

What a welcome contribution to the world of basic and applied developmental psychology research! What has been done, and what can be done to promote equality of opportunity in children's lives? This volume is an edited set of papers from a 2018 conference dedicated to the legacy of Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) and ecological systems theory. Given the importance of the issues addressed, it is good to have this publication made available so quickly. The multidisciplinary papers are organized in four sections, covering research from psychology, sociology, and economics. The focus is on issues arising from policies designed to address inequality in children's lives. This invaluable resource covers a lot of ground, beginning with a review of important biological issues such as stress; continuing through evaluation of various programs focused on children's well-being; examining intertwined systems of education, parenting, and social support; and ending with commentary on the current state of affairs and future directions. There is a chapter for every form of the question "But how does the [environmental factor] play into the larger picture?" and each chapter provides new opportunities for a reader well educated in one area to learn more about another.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals.

Stopford provides a sometimes stark, oftentimes heart-breaking, and consistently informative "eyes wide open" look at the consequences of community violence and racial segregation in the US. It is likely tempting for some to consider segregation in this country a thing of the past. But, as this author so clearly shows, segregation still comes in all shapes and sizes and involves much more than physical barriers or written policies. This book is not--nor should it be--an easy read. But Stopford employs a toolkit of psychological and sociological observations with adeptness and clarity to reveal the clinical and sociological impacts of marginalization, trauma, violence, and economic disparity. The narratives shared by Stopford's respondents are rich and moving, revealing lived experiences in Baltimore, Maryland; Oakland, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Elainen, Arkansas. These are presented as real narratives--not "general" but instead, and more importantly, unvarnished and pure. Stopford's use of this technique offers readers a clear foray into past injustice and a realistic assessment of current injustice, allowing her to show not only what needs to be done to end such systemic trauma in the present but also how we might begin to repair the damage already done. A must read for students, instructors, and all others, across the board!Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.