The Colors of Childhood: Separation-Individuation across Cultural, Racial, and Ethnic Diversity

249 Pages·1998·11.94 MB·English

by  Salman Akhtar

THE COLORS
OF CHILDHOOD
Separation-Individuation
Across Cultural, Racial,
and Ethnic Differences
edited bzy
SALMAN AKHTAR, M.D.,
and SELMA KRAMER, M.D.
A JASON .ARONSON BOOK
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD PUBLISHERS, INC.
Lanham • Boulder • New York • Toronto • Oxford
A JASON ARONSON BOOK
ROWMAN & LITILEFIELD PUBLISHERS, INC.
Published in the United States of America
by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
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Copyright © 1998 by Jason Aronson Inc.
First Rowman & Littlefield edition 2004
All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-In-Publication Data
The colors of childhood : separation-individuation across cultural,
racial, and ethnic differences I edited by Salman Akhtar and Selma
Kramer.
p. em.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7657-0155-3 (alk. paper)
I. Separation-individuation-Cross-cultural studies. 2. Child
rearing-Cross-cultural studies. 3. Cultural psychiatry. I. Akhtar,
Salman, 1946 July 31- II. Kramer, Selma.
RC489.S45C64 1998
15S.4-dc21 97-45188
Printed in the United States of America
9"'
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSIINISO Z39.48-1992.
To the memory
of
Margaret S. Mahler
teacher, friend, source of inspiration

Contents
Acknowledgment IX
Contributors xi
1
Some Cultural Vicissitudes of Child Rearing 1
Selma Kramer, M.D.
2
Emotional Refueling in Development,
Mythology, and Cosmology: The Japanese
Separation-Individuation Experience 17
Daniel M. A. Freeman, M.D.
3
A Cross-Cultural Perspective
on Separation-IndividuationTheory 61
Discussion ofFreeman's Chapter "Emotional Refueling
in Development, Mythology, and Cosmology:
The Japanese Separation-Individuation Experience"
Calvin F. Settlage, M.D.
4
Mothers and Others: Bonding,
Separation-Individuation, and Resultant Ego
Development in Different African-American Cultures 79
Carlotta Miles, M.D.
viii Contents
5
Psychoanalysis and the Rainbow
of Cultural Authenticity 113
Discussion of Miles' Chapter "Mothers and Others:
Bonding, Separation-Individuation,
and Resultant Ego Development in Different
African-American Cultures"
Salman Akhtar, M.D.
6
The Emergence, Conflicts, and Integration
of the Bicultural Self: Psychoanalysis
of an Adolescent Daughter
of South-Asian Immigrant Parents 129
Purnima Mehta, M.D.
7
Reflections of the Self
in the Cultural Looking Glass 169
Discussions of Mehta's Chapter "The Emergence,
Conflicts, and Integration of the Bicultural Self:
Psychoanalysis of an Adolescent Daughter
of South-Asian Immigrant Parents"
Jennifer Bonovitz,
PH.D.
8
The Impact of the Cultural Holding Environment
on Psychic Development 199
Concluding Reflections
Henri Parens, M.D.
Index 231
Acknowledgtnent
he chapters in this book, with the exception oft he last one, were
originally presented as papers at the 28th Annual Margaret S. Mahler
Symposium on Child Development held on April 26, 1997, in
Philadelphia. First and foremost, therefore, we wish to express our
gratitude to the Margaret S. Mahler Psychiatric Research Founda
tion. We are also grateful to Troy L. Thompson II, M.D., Chair
man, at that time, of the Department of Psychiatry and Human
Behavior, Jefferson Medical College, as well as to the Philadelphia
Psychoanalytic Institute and Society for their shared sponsorship of
the symposium. Many colleagues from the Institute and Society
helped during the symposium, and we remain grateful to them.
Finally, we wish to acknowledge our sincere appreciation of
Maryann Nevin for her efficient organization ofa nd assistance during
the symposium, and her outstanding skills in the preparation of this
book's manuscript.