11 - A Sociologist’s Perspective: The Historic Specificity of Development and Resilience in the Face of Increasingly Ominous Futures

Summary

This chapter provides a sociological perspective on three key themes-the historically specific character of human development (do historical upheavals have differential impacts on development depending on life stage?), societal trends forecasting an increasingly problematic and challenging future (e.g., heightened inequality, economic and racial segregation, migration within and across countries, and developmental “technoference” arising from digital communication); and the countervailing capacities for resilience in children and families (e.g., successful adaptation of children despite extremely adverse circumstances, “the immigrant paradox,” and proliferation of new family forms). New research methods and directions are called for to understand the implications of the escalating pace of societal change across multiple institutional contexts for developmental outcomes. Innovative research is needed to inform policies and interventions to heighten the likelihood of more salutary futures. Such policies must address macrostructural trends that influence the meso- and micro-system level resources and opportunities available to families and children, as well as the stressors and challenges that confront them on a daily basis.