Developmental Idealism Imagery

The images presented on these pages portray individuals, families, communities, social organizations, and cultural and historical symbols from a range of societies around the world. Our images include historical portrayals from the artists of Europe in the 1500s and 1600s and from the photographers of America in the late 1800s. We also include recent photos from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. We portray several different slices of family and community life: wedding celebrations; village festivals; family agriculture; widowhood; courtship; the birth of children; grandparenting; caring for sick children; religious worship; and museum displays. We also portray some of the forces for social change, including schools, technological innovations, family planning programs, Christian churches, international organizations, revolutionary movements, and new consumption aspirations. Finally, we picture interviewers collecting information about the lives and ideas of families and individuals.

Images from this site may not be reused for any purpose
without express written permission.

Financial District, Shanghai, China, 2009

© 2010
Developmental Idealism Studies
Population Studies Center
University of Michigan

New Data Collection

A survey concerning developmental idealism is currently being conducted in Nepal.

New Publication

A. Thornton, D. Philipov. "Sweeping Changes in Marriage, Cohabitation, and Childbearing in Central and Eastern Europe: New Insights from the Developmental Idealism Framework." Recently published in European Journal of Population.

New Book

Kathryn M. Yount, Hoda Rashad (eds), Family in the Middle East: Ideational change in Egypt, Iran and Tunisia. Routledge. 2008

Reading History Sideways

The method of reading history sideways is described and critiqued by Arland Thornton.


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