Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on Human Development (The SAGE Program on Applied Developmental Science)

-Glen H. Elder, University of North Carolina

-John Eckenrode, Cornell University

To a greater extent than any other species, human beings create the environments that, in turn, shape their own development. Given this, Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on Human Development endeavors to demonstrate that human beings can also develop those environments to optimize their most constructive genetic potentials. What makes human beings human, therefore, is both the potential to shape their world in intricate physical, social, technological, and cultural ways and the possibility that these actions will nurture positive development.

Making Human Beings Human is a landmark collection that traces and summarizes Urie Bronfenbrenner′s thoughts on the bioecological theory of human development and recommends avenues for future research. The majority of the twenty-three retrospective articles were written by Bronfenbrenner, while some were written with colleagues in his own or related fields, over the course of six decades. The book′s articles document the domain of inquiry that has emerged gradually over many years and has now acquired a title of its own-the bioecological theory of human development.

The book is rich in cultural and historical comparisons, and the concepts of the bioecological model and the ecology of human development represent a unique contribution to the field of developmental psychology. As a co-founder of the Head Start program, Bronfenbrenner has played a major role in shaping many educational and public policies; therefore the book emphasizes social context within the bioecological theory.

Making Human Beings Human is a culminating work by a prominent figure in the field of human development and will help to shape the future of the field. It is an invaluable resource for every developmental psychologist, educator, and public policy individual involved with families and education. The book is also an excellent supplementary text for courses in Psychology, Family Studies and Human Development, Human Ecology, Education, and Public Policy.

Urie Bronfenbrenner is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Human Development and Psychology at Cornell University.  He is best known as the founder and principal protagonist of his ground-breaking theory of the "Ecology of Human Development."  Bronfenbrenner is one of the founders of Head Start and the recipient of numerous distinguished awards including six honorary degrees, three from European universities.  He was the first recipient of the American Psychological Association′s annual Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the Service of Science and Society.  He has taught, lectured, consulted, and carried out research in the United States and all over the world, mainly in both Eastern and Western Europe, Japan, and Australia.  His publications have been extensive and far-reaching .  Urie Bronfenbrenner is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Psychological Society, American Psychological Association, Society for Research in Child Development, National Academy of Education, and the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development.  Bronfenbrenner received his Bachelor′s degree in Psychology and Music from Cornell University, his Master′s Degree from Harvard University, and his Doctorate from the University of Michigan.  After service in the Armed Forces and a brief period at the University of Michigan, he returned to Cornell University for a long productive life of research and teaching, as well as assisting with the raising of his six children.  Since his retirement in 1987, he has continued to research, to write, to teach, and to travel extensively.