Identity And The Life Cycle

Erik H. Erikson's remarkable insights into the relationship of life history and history began with observations on a central stage of life: identity development in adolescence. This book collects three early papers that—along with Childhood and Society—many consider the best introduction to Erikson's theories. "Ego Development and Historical Change" is a selection of extensive notes in which Erikson first undertook to relate to each other observations on groups studied on field trips and on children studied longitudinally and clinically. These notes are representative of the source material used for Childhood and Society. "Growth and Crises of the Health Personality" takes Erikson beyond adolescence, into the critical stages of the whole life cycle. In the third and last essay, Erikson deals with "The Problem of Ego Identity" successively from biographical, clinical, and social points of view—all dimensions later pursued separately in his work.

Erik H. Erikson's remarkable insights into relationship of life history and history began with observations on a central stage of life: identity development in adolescence. This book collects three early papers that-along with Childhood and Society-many consider the best introduction to Erikson's theories.

"This book will last and last, because it contains the wisdom of two wonderfully knowing observers of our human destiny."—Robert Coles For decades Erik H. Erikson's concept of the stages of human development has deeply influenced the field of contemporary psychology. Here, with new material by Joan M. Erikson, is an expanded edition of his final work. The Life Cycle Completed eloquently closes the circle of Erikson's theories, outlining the unique rewards and challenges—for both individuals and society—of very old age.

Erik Erikson has been described as 'probably the most significant post-Freudian thinker' with a 'unique and profound vision'. Al Gore was his student, Bill Clinton a great admirer. Getting to grips with his complex ideas however is no easy task. This book provides a comprehensive and in-depth road map to Erikson's work and is ideal for all students of Psychology. Stevens lucidly and authoritatively analyses his ideas about childhood development, adolescence, identity, the life cycle and his psychobiographical studies of Luther and Gandhi. This penetrating critique of Erikson's work reveals how relevant his ideas are today.

Since these disciplines explicitly address both concepts of, identity and development with well-differentiated points of view, the reader is able to see how the perspective offered by one discipline can inform another. The book is organized into three parts (psychoanalysis, psychology, and history and literature), and each section is introduced by a description of the role of each chapter in that section and the role that the section plays in the volume as a whole. The book also includes introductory and concluding chapters that provide the context as well as the summation of a multidisciplinary approach to identity and development.

The two lectures presented in this important volume were delivered by Erik H. Erikson at the second annual Jefferson Lectures in the Humanities, sponsored by The National Endowment for the Humanitites. In the first lecture, entitled "The Founders: Jeffersonion Action and Faith," Erikson uses selected themes from Jefferson's life to illustrate some principles of psychohistory. In the second lecture, "The Inheritors: Modern Insight and Foresight," Erikson applied his main concepts to the problems of ongoing history. The title of the lectures contains one such concept. "New identity" is the result of radical historical change and is here meant to characterize the emerging American identity as first embodied in such men as Jefferson. Erikson first explores certain themes in his examination of the emerging American identity during Jefferson's time. He then attempts to relate the Jeffersonian themes to contemporary problems of repression and suppression, of moralistic vindication, and true liberation by insight. Finally, Erikson maintains that now that children will be born by the privileged choice of parental persons, an adult environment fitting the living and the to-be-living becomes an ethical necessity. There is no question that this work ranks among Erikson's most challenging and seminal books.