The Divide in Human Development
I created this critical commentary for my graduate theories of human development class at the University of Rochester. The professor asked us to read "Moving beyond the Relational Worldview" by Stetsenko (2016) and provide a critical commentary, which I have included below.
The Divide in Human Development
I read the paper by Stetsenko, Moving beyond the Relational Worldview: Exploring the Next Steps Premised on Agency and a Commitment to Social Change.
I must confess that I found this paper difficult to comprehend and probably didnt read it thoroughly enough. Stetsenko’s paper was a response to Saeed Karimi-Aghdam [2016] paper. I hadnt read Karimi-Aghdam’s paper so this may contribute to why I felt I lacked context.
Overall, I appreciated Stetsenko’s efforts to reconcile the divide between the evidence-based and socio-cultural sides of human development. She critically addresses the limitations of Vygotsky’s theory, advocating for its advancement and modernization by specifically incorporating more elements of human agency. Stetsenko proposes enriching Vygotsky's framework to serve not only as a bridge between these disparate psychological perspectives but also as a robust foundation that emphasizes the transformative role of individuals in their own development. Despite Vygotsky’s theory being marginalized within the existing 'root metaphor' climate, Stetsenko argues for its revitalization, suggesting that it can unify the field by integrating individual agency with broader socio-cultural influences.
“This vacillation and the accompanying painful ruptures in the approaches and disciplines concerned with human development need to be considered within the context of the “end of theory” climate – expressed for example, in the desire to deprivilege the “grand narratives” of the past – as this climate has gradually settled in psychology and other fields over several decades and even intensified in recent years.”
This quote I enjoyed and it made me want to learn more about the “end of theory” climate and how that is related to de-privileging the “grand narratives”. I had not heard of this project before and it engaged me to want to learn more. In this way the quote and paper adds to my understanding of Theories of Human Development and its modern developments.
