The key to the upliftment of the Adivasi community is a deep understanding of their culture, psychological resources and cognitive strengths. Ecology, Culture and Human Development: Lessons for Adivasi Education presents a comparative analysis of the cultural and cognitive dimensions of various communities in Canada, Ghana, China and India, and seeks answers from this analysis for Adivasi education. It debunks the myths of low intelligence and inferior cognitive capacity of the Adivasi community, and emphasizes the remarkable performance of Adivasi children when assessed in terms of their ecological and cultural contexts.

Extensively illustrated and containing substantive data on all relevant aspects of human development, this book is a much-desired addition to the literature on this crucial aspect of social development in India. It is a comprehensive resource that aims to contribute substantially towards mitigating the travails of the Adivasi community and ensuring their social empowerment.

Acknowledgements Cognition in Cultural Context Human Development in Ecological and Cultural Context Influences on Development of Human Behaviour The Cultural Groups Capturing Cultural and Cognitive Dimensions Cognitive Styles in International Context Cognitive Style and Educational Achievement of Adivasi Children Revisiting the Culture–Cognition Relationship Adivasi Education in Cultural Context References Index