Imagining Child Development: Jung, Fordham, and Neumann

Ken James
Scheduled course
Online

Overview

Developmental theories generally constrain the phenomena of infant and child psychology to multiple variations on a one-dimensional theme: the time line. In sharp contrast to these theories is the work of Jung, Fordham and Neumann, each of whom considered early development as a manifestation in space/time of the growing differentiation and harmonization of personal and collective aspects of psyche, originating from, guided by, converging toward and happening within the Self. This class will consider closely the writings of Jung, Fordham and Neumann as they pertain to early development in particular, and to the overall development of the human person across the life span.

Learning Objectives
This video will help you to:

  1. Reflect on the categories of “infancy”, “childhood”, “adolescence” and “adulthood” as embodying a set of unconscious assumptions regarding human growth and development.
  2. Specify at least three different imaginings of human development, with special emphasis on infancy, childhood and adolescence.
  3. Discuss the values and limitations of each approach to mapping early development.
  4. Construct alternative paradigms for imagining infant and child development based on particular clinical and research needs.
  5. Explain how dimensions of continuity/discontinuity, personal/collective and typical/atypical influence and shape imaginings of human development.
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