Introduction

Deconstructing Developmental Psychology is a critical introduction to developmental psychology: critical in the sense that it comments upon rather than replaces mainstream accounts of developmental psychology; introductory in the sense that it aims to present in an accessible way a synthesis of various existing critiques and discussions that are often complex and seemingly very speci®c in their remit, but which have major and important consequences for the project of developmental psychology and for all those involved with practices around children and child development that it informs. This book focuses on the relation between academic research and social policies and practices, in particular to highlight and often question the desirability of the effects of developmental psychological research (and also the possibility of the division between theory and application).