A World of Many: Ontology and Child Development among the Maya of Southern Mexico

A World of Many explores how Tzotzil Maya children from two localities create their worlds through their agency and the impact of their social and physical environment. It demonstrates that their experiences with schooling, parenting, goals, values, climate change, water scarcity, racism, and settler colonialism shape their emerging worlds, which are not make-believe but ontological products of their parents. The book combines experimental research from the cognitive sciences with critical theory to understand children as tinkerers and thinkers, makers of their worlds amidst complex relations. It shows that children locate themselves differently in these worlds, becoming different human beings in the process.

Format: Hardback
Length: 230 pages
Publication date: 13 January 2023
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

A World of Many delves into the captivating world-making endeavors of Tzotzil Maya children residing in two distinct localities within the municipality of Chenalhó, Chiapas. This research not only showcases the remarkable agency of children in shaping their own realities but also delves into the intricate interplay between the surrounding social and physical environment.

Diverse experiences, ranging from schooling to parenting, goals, values, and the ever-present challenges of climate change, water scarcity, racism, and settler colonialism, all contribute to the formation of these children's emerging worlds. It is important to note that these worlds are not mere figments of imagination or anything less than the ontological creations of their parents. Instead, Norbert Ross posits that by crafting different worlds, children ultimately shape themselves into distinct human beings, truly standing out in the world.

Through a fusion of experimental research from the cognitive sciences and critical theory, A World of Many offers a fresh perspective on children's agency. It recognizes children as active creators and thinkers, actively engaged in the process of making their worlds amidst the complex web of relations. Instead of viewing children as incomplete beings, this book understands them as tinkerers and thinkers, actively engaged in the ontological production of being itself.

In this captivating exploration, the book employs experimental paradigms to demonstrate how children locate themselves differently within these emerging worlds they create. As a result, they undergo a transformative process, becoming distinct human beings in the process. A World of Many sheds light on the profound ways in which children's experiences and environments shape their lives and contribute to their development as individuals and as members of society. It is a testament to the resilience and creativity of children, reminding us of the importance of valuing and nurturing their unique perspectives and world-making endeavors.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978830325