This chapter is, for the most part, devoted to an appraisal of Greek art as a school of humanity. Herder applies the model of nature’s force to the work of art. The force that produces the human form in the work of art also conditions the possibilities for viewing and understanding art. Art grounds visible categories of humankind and it renders visible the ideas that make these categories intelligible. Greek statuary is seen as a formalization of timeless categories of human life, but these categories are subject to the contingencies of interpretation. He discusses the Greek idealization of childhood, heroism, the gods, fauns, satyrs, and centaurs. He then concludes that there is no such thing as formless goodness and truth. This is followed by an appraisal of allegory. A text by Johann Christoph Berens is cited as an example of practical moral enlightenment. In this connection, the question of public morals is raised with respect to Homer and Montesquieu. Kant’s pursuit of truth is praised. The chapter closes with thoughts on freedom of thought and the state.

Spanning the years 1929 to 1954, Chapter 1 meticulously traces the evolution of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Black transnational consciousness from his formative years through his doctoral studies at Boston University. Emphasizing the profound impact of familial and ecclesiastical influences – most notably his father, Daddy King, Benjamin E. Mays, Mordecai Johnson, and the philosophical writings of Mohandas K. Gandhi – this chapter reveals how King’s upbringing in a home and church environment fostered an abiding commitment to racial justice and global affairs, with a particular focus on Africa. The analysis foregrounds the political, economic, legal, cultural, religious, social, and intellectual forces that shaped King’s nascent internationalist and Pan-Africanist inclinations, collectively termed his “Beloved Pan-Africanism.”

What is play? How does play develop? What is the relationship between play, learning and development? This book looks at these central questions from the perspectives of children, families, educators and what is known from research. You are encouraged to read and reflect on the content as you progress through the book. Although each chapter brings in different dimensions, the approach taken is interactive, with most chapters (but not all) inviting you to consider specific research into play practices, and to generate your own ideas/data to discuss or critique. We begin the journey in this first chapter by looking at your ideas and the writings of others on the topic ‘What is play?’

Artists can have a wide variety of relationships with their parents. We have already discussed supportive relationships. Sometimes, artists have parents who are simply uninterested. Other times, they have parents who are worried about their child’s ability to support themselves if they pursue the arts. In these cases, most parents could be won over by their child’s hard work and passion; if not, a taste of success was usually enough to win over a hesitant parent.

Many young artists try their hand at a variety of creative forms. Even those who know their passion early on may still dabble a bit in related domains, often fueled by the need to explore different artforms and endless curiosity. Many artists might use insights or skills learned in one domain throughout their career, even if they ultimately do not keep creating in that area. Some artists whose stories are told in this chapter kept shifting areas into college and young adulthood. Most stayed within the arts, but some found their way to the arts from other areas from sports to science. Other times, artists will work across multiple domains for their whole career.

The human brain follows a clear and reliable timeline of development. Various stages of development are key to specific functions. Decision-making, due to its complexity, cannot be pinpointed to one age in development or a critical period, it undergoes several key stages through the lifespan. In the prenatal stage, myelination is important for cognitively demanding tasks like decision-making. In the newborn stage, the baby is constantly forming new synapses, increasing connectivity. During childhood most children develop the ability to use logic in decisions. Adolescence is a critical period for synaptic pruning, improving efficiency. The prefrontal cortex is considered fully mature in adulthood, around the age of 25.

When do artists feel that first intense pull toward creation? Some artists know early in their lives what they want to do with their lives. Sometimes, artists feel like their specific art choice has always been a key part of their identities. Other times, there is a sudden jolt of insight in which they realize their life path, whether from a gift, a moment of creation, or working on an artistic project in tandem with a friend or sibling. Peer support and approval can be a powerful reinforcement to pursue one’s artistic passion.

Artists can get their first inspiration for what they want to do in their lives when they see another person’s work. Early encounters with theater, television shows, movies, books, or music can serve as catalysts for a lifetime in the arts. At the most fundamental level, experiencing the art of others can demonstrate that such a career pathway is possible. In this chapter, artists remember moments of seeing, hearing, watching, or experiencing a life-changing piece of art. Some artists continue in that specific domain, whereas others might be initially inspired by one domain but find a better artistic home in another domain. An artist’s early efforts may even be directly inspired by another piece of work.

Parents can help their children develop into an artist. Some people are lucky enough to have parents who are supportive right from the start. In this chapter, artists share their experiences with their parents and how that has shaped their artistry. Some artists even had artistic parents who served as role models.

An artist’s entire family can help nurture and mentor them. This can include grandparents and siblings. In this chapter, artists share their experiences with extended family. Sometimes, supportive family members can make up for less supportive parents; other times, it can be a full familial unit that helps a young artist.

A thorough and detailed understanding of normal development in childhood provides a basis upon which we can build knowledge of children’s mental health difficulties. Development refers to expected patterns of change over time, beginning at conception and continuing throughout the lifespan. It is a lifelong process and encompasses different domains, including the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive.

Is the way my child plays with others suggestive of Autism? Could his bad dreams indicate anxiety? Does the fact she can’t sit through a whole film mean she has ADHD? Only with an in-depth knowledge of what is developmentally ‘normal’, can we begin to elicit whether behaviours that deviate from these norms might indicate disorder. This is the basis of the developmental psychopathology that underpins the practice of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. What is considered ‘normal’ development involves a complex and continuous interplay between genetic and environmental (including sociocultural) factors. Despite some variation, there is a consistency and reliability of functioning in children that remains steadfast from generation to generation.

In this chapter we will consider areas including the milestones of development in early childhood; attachment theory, temperament and personality; theories of emotional, cognitive and social development; and development in adolescence.

This chapter argues that researchers in child development and children’s well-being should take culture seriously by showing how social and cultural settings in which children grow up matter for understanding the varieties of childhoods documented ethnographically. It begins with a historical review of anthropological research on childhood and children’s worlds. Much of the early work on children’s development in culture focused on how children become competent members of their societies. This tended to present children’s development in locally normative terms and social and cultural development as static. Later research focused on the problem of accelerating global social change and documented the struggles children, their families, and communities confronted in the face of social change. It also examined the positive role children played, particularly as sources of innovation in adaptive strategies. Children were seen less as sites of internalization and more as agents of active participation. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the strengths that psychological anthropologists bring to childhood studies and possible future directions for new research.

Chapter 50 covers the topic of child and adolescent mental health services. Through a case vignette with topical MCQs for consolidation of learning, readers are brought through the management of young patients with psychiatric disorders from first presentation to subsequent complications of the conditions and its treatment. Things covered include the general principles of prescribing in children and adolescent patients with psychiatric disorders, the use of antidepressants, the use of mood stabilisers, the use of antipsychotics, treatment of anxiety disorders.