Guerda Nicolas – författare

As divisions grow across political, economic, and social lines, it often feels as though the only belief shared by many is that “the other side is too far gone.” An authentic difficult dialogue has the power to mobilize our shared humanity in addressing divisions and making transformative change for a more just society. Decades of social science research on meaningful human exchanges can help make sure you not only engage in a difficult dialogue, but that you can engage authentically for the desired goal of transformative change.A difficult dialogue is an exchange between two or more individuals that are likely to disagree or clash. This book will provide a solid foundation for understanding and engaging in difficult dialogues. As you traverse through the pages, you will develop a better understanding of how desires for power and belonging shape each unique difficult dialogue and recognize how experiences with motivation and defensiveness impact difficult dialogues. Further, you will read about case studies of successful dialogues between children and adults and discover the positive benefits of engaging in difficult dialogues with the youth in your life. Finally, you will be given the opportunity to learn about and practice specific skills to prepare for, engage in, and move forward before, during, and after a difficult dialogue. Given the intellectual foundation you will construct while reading this book, this book includes a workbook section to put your newfound skills to work.If you are left wondering “If difficult dialogues are difficult by nature, is it really worth engaging in one?” This book will shed light on the power dialogue grants you to inspire transformative change. Difficult dialogues show us that very few people are truly “too far gone” to communicate, reflect, transform, and act. We have all bore witness to both massive societal issues and their proliferating repercussions. However, there is hope in that each can begin to be solved and dismantled with the comparatively small task of engaging in authentic difficult dialogues. To address societal ills - to grow - we must be courageous, we must be vulnerable, and we must have authentic difficult dialogues. We must do this for a better world, for a more just world, and this book may serve as a foundation and a reference as you progress in your journey.

As divisions grow across political, economic, and social lines, it often feels as though the only belief shared by many is that “the other side is too far gone.” An authentic difficult dialogue has the power to mobilize our shared humanity in addressing divisions and making transformative change for a more just society. Decades of social science research on meaningful human exchanges can help make sure you not only engage in a difficult dialogue, but that you can engage authentically for the desired goal of transformative change.A difficult dialogue is an exchange between two or more individuals that are likely to disagree or clash. This book will provide a solid foundation for understanding and engaging in difficult dialogues. As you traverse through the pages, you will develop a better understanding of how desires for power and belonging shape each unique difficult dialogue and recognize how experiences with motivation and defensiveness impact difficult dialogues. Further, you will read about case studies of successful dialogues between children and adults and discover the positive benefits of engaging in difficult dialogues with the youth in your life. Finally, you will be given the opportunity to learn about and practice specific skills to prepare for, engage in, and move forward before, during, and after a difficult dialogue. Given the intellectual foundation you will construct while reading this book, this book includes a workbook section to put your newfound skills to work.If you are left wondering “If difficult dialogues are difficult by nature, is it really worth engaging in one?” This book will shed light on the power dialogue grants you to inspire transformative change. Difficult dialogues show us that very few people are truly “too far gone” to communicate, reflect, transform, and act. We have all bore witness to both massive societal issues and their proliferating repercussions. However, there is hope in that each can begin to be solved and dismantled with the comparatively small task of engaging in authentic difficult dialogues. To address societal ills - to grow - we must be courageous, we must be vulnerable, and we must have authentic difficult dialogues. We must do this for a better world, for a more just world, and this book may serve as a foundation and a reference as you progress in your journey.

Through a global, multidisciplinary perspective, this book describes how four factors influence parenting practices: a countries historical and political background, the parent’s educational history, the economy and the parent’s financial standing, and advances in technology. Case studies that illustrate the impact these four factors have on parents in various regions help us better understand parenting in today’s global, interconnected world. Descriptions of parenting practices in countries from Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean give readers a contemporary perspective. Both research and clinical implications when working with families from various cultures are integrated throughout.Part I reviews the four major factors that shape parenting practices. Part II features cases written by contributors with extensive experience in parenting practice and research that bring to life the ways in which these four factors influence parenting within their region. Each chapter in Part II follows the same format to provide consistency for comparative purposes: an introduction, historical and political, economic, educational, and societal factors and parenting practices, and a conclusion. Each case reviews:Historical and political factors such as slavery, war, and natural disasters and how these factors impact cultural beliefs, parenting behaviors, and a child’s developmentEconomic factors which impact the capacity for consistent, involved parenting which can result in low IQ, behavioral problems, depression, and domestic conflict and the need to account for financial factors when developing intervention programsEducational levels impact on parenting practices and their children’s achievementsAdvances in technology and its impact on parenting practicesIntended for graduate or advanced undergraduate courses in families in global context, immigrant families, family or public policy, multiculturalism or cross-cultural psychology, social or cultural development, counseling, social work, or international development taught in human development and family studies, psychology, social work, sociology, anthropology, racial studies, and international relations, this book also appeals to practitioners and researchers interested in family studies and child development and policy and program managers of governments, NGOs, and mental health agencies.