Don Ambrose & Robert J. Sternberg 
Creative Intelligence in the 21st Century 
Grappling with Enormous Problems and Huge Opportunities

How can creative individuals and societies adapt to complex 21st-century conditions? Will civilizations thrive or collapse in the decades to come if they are not creative enough, or if they are too creative? Interest in these questions is growing; however, until now there has been inadequate understanding of the socioeconomic and cultural trends and issues that influence creativity. This book provides that understanding while yielding insights from many of the world’s leading creativity researchers and educational experts. The book begins with a big-picture, interdisciplinary overview of the socioeconomic, cultural, and technological pressures emerging from 21st-century globalization and describes some ways in which those pressures simultaneously suppress, distort, and invigorate creativity in general, and creative education in particular. After that, prominent scholars of creativity and education use their impressive knowledge bases to clarify how we can adjust our thoughts and actions in order to give ourselves the best possible chances for success in this complex world.



“The world’s problems are complex, messy, and seemingly intractable, but history tells us that human creativity finds solutions to even the most daunting problems. This book collects perspectives on creative development from many of the most respected scholars and educators working in creativity and innovation today, helping chart a path forward for creativity in the 21st century.” – Jonathan Plucker, Julian C. Stanley Endowed Professor of Talent Development, Johns Hopkins University



“A volume taking on macro-opportunities and macroproblems by editors Ambrose and Sternberg is a treat for readers who want to think ‘big’ and think ‘forward.’ Kick back for an imaginative journey that reaches back to early global insights but propels us solidly into the 21st century and beyond.” – Ann Robinson, Past President, National Association for Gifted Children

Table of Content

Foreword: Stream of Consciousness on Creativity, Globalization, Technology, and What Is Happening in a Rapidly Changing World.- Section I: Recognizing Powerful Contextual Influences on Creative Intelligence.- Previewing a Collaborative Exploration of Creative Intelligence in the 21st Century.- Twenty-First Century Contextual Influences on the Life Trajectories of Creative Young People.- Section II: Creativity in the Turbulent 21st Century.- The Decline of the West? A Comparative Civilizations Perspective.- We Must Prepare for the Unforeseeable Future.- Asking the Wrong Question: Why Shouldn’t People Dislike Creativity?.- A Whole New Way of Working with Creativity, Innovation and Innovators.- Facilitating Creative Thinking in the 21st Century: When Constraints Help.- Section III: Unshackling Students, Teachers, and Schools: Recognizing Contextual Constraints.- Squeezed out: The Threat of Global Homogenization of Education to Creativity.- The Creative Intelligence of Teachers Resisting the Pearsonizing of Global Education.- Section IV: Invigorating Creativity in Education.- Leveraging Micro-Opportunities to Address Macroproblems: Toward an Unshakeable Sense of Possibility Thinking.- Creativity and the Common Core Need Each Other.- Creative Approaches to Literacy Learning: A Transformative Vision for Education in the 21st Century.- Cultivating Innovation through Invention: How Rube Goldberg Inventions Can Ignite Creativity.- Creativity and Leadership Development: Can They Co-Exist for Transformational Change in Education?.- Section V: Conclusion.- What’s Wrong and How to Fix It: Balance of Abilities Matters More than Levels.- About the Contributors.- Subject Index.