Customer Reviews

Lives Across Cultures: Cross-Cultural Human Development

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I just got this book from the publisher and have decided to use it for my cross-cultural development class. No other book that I have found does an even remotely adequate job of combining cross-cultural research and human development. Teaching this class should be a lot easier.

I have used this book as a textbook in a sophmore - junior - senior level university course in cross-cultural psychology. It is so readable, that students report that they read ahead just for fun. Recommended for anyone interested in how culture affects our lives.

I have read that book and I found many interesting stories about how culture affect our live which I've never imagine it before and I learn a lot about many different unique cultures around the world and if you want to know more detail about culture differences and compare them, you should read this book.

I have read this book cover to cover and am rather disappointed with some of the sections. The authors matter of factly discuss widow burning in India as a cultural practice. They offer no cross cultural comparisons to this. In France and the USA we call it murder. On the other hand the behavior of needy children is described as 'bonding' with their mothers in China,and 'clingy in the USA. Here a cross comparison is provided. Another cross cultural comparison: 'genital mutilation' of young girls (clearly for other reasons than for boys) is called 'circumcision' in some cultures. Gusii mothers in Kenya hold their babies longer than women in Boston. Why? Because of infant mortality. Here a cross-cultural reason is provided. But no explanations for widow burning, female genital mutilation, and child marriages are given, where the maternal mortality rate is three times greater than women in the 20-24 year age group. (UN report 1991). In fact the authors add that there are schools for clitorectemies which girls between 8 and 12 "attend". Young girls of 10 are married in some cultures. In France and the USA that is called child molestation, but the authors don't write that. Chinese foot binding of women is described as a previous "sign of beauty", matter of factly, They clearly don't want to take a stance about these practices. That is because they tacitly uphold the political position that the nuclear family is above the law, and any practices that take place are legitimate. This is why they primarily cover general topics regarding the nuclear family, cross culturally speaking. We are not supposed to question this, because that would , according to the authors, involve a cultural perspective inconsistent with another. The UN however has many case studies to contradict that, even if the rights of women and children are not legitimated in comprehesive policy. But at least the UN convention CEDAW- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women knows there is a gender hierarchy in the world, which the authors don't, or at least don't mention in a relatively meaningful way.

The majority of the cross culture comparisons are about infancy, adolescence, middle age and old age as lifespan in general terms such as sports and parenting. Cross cultural studies are often outdated. Margaret Mead's 1928 study of women in Samoa is clearly out of touch for today but remains the definitive study. Other studies from 1987 are used for Jamaican women. There is either a lack of studies or a lack of research. This is a very general book for a beginning student. There are some interesting things said about fluid and crystallized thinking in young, vs elderly people. This is probably one of the fascinating parts of the book. But it doesn't go into depth about it. Gender roles are discussed in the most general terms. Homosexuality is barely mentioned because there is 'not much research' --perhaps a paragraph at the most. The text is nevertheless written in a profoundly heteronormative way. The authors write that some of the 'traditional practices' have gone on for centuries and will continue you to go on for centuries. Women whose marriages are arranged by their parents defend themselves by telling US women that they spend too much time dating which detracts from their studies, rather then leaving mate selection over to their parents. But most women do not give their consent. No comment by the authors. But the inclusion of a few 'satisfied' women is an explanation of the widespread cross cultural practice, even if seriously lacking in other sections. The author includes a picture of himself though at his wedding in Thailand, where young people have rejected arranged marriage.

Early and middle teenage girls who are married by Southeast Asian men in their 20's and 30's that immigrate to the US "may find married life and childrearing difficult", according to the authors. The practice is explained as part of the girls 'developmental niche'. It is clear that the rights of women and children is not a concern of the authors. Their examples clearly indicate that a gender hierarchy is very much in place however they seem to neutralize traditional practices.

With this book and the lack of scrutiny of the practices its clear that these traditions will go on without comment. Sometimes there is a sentence or two to remind you that someone is writing this, but its often very dry and basic. The price of 50 USD also is outrageous.

The authors admit that they are interested in future students expanding knowledge of human development within the context of culture. This need is indeed borne out by the deficiencies of this study. This cultural relativist study should be augmented with Women's Rights: International Feminist Perspectives, ed Julie Peters and Andrea Wolper to address the gender issues that are skimmed over here.