Don Ambrose & Robert J. Sternberg 
Giftedness and Talent in the 21st Century 
Adapting to the Turbulence of Globalization

When today’s gifted and talented young people emerge into adulthood will they be able to overcome some enormous 21st-century problems that are pushing us toward large-scale socioeconomic devastation? Will they be able to capitalize on unprecedented opportunities that can lead to widespread prosperity and fulfillment? This book explores these questions while yielding insights from many of the world’s leading scholars of giftedness and talent development. Until now there has been inadequate understanding of 21st-century trends and issues that influence the gifted and talented. The book provides some clarity by establishing a big-picture, interdisciplinary overview of the socioeconomic, cultural, and technological pressures emerging from 21st-century globalization and describing some ways in which those pressures simultaneously suppress, distort, and invigorate the discovery of aspirations and the development of talents. Throughout the volume, prominent scholarsof gifted education and talent development 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.



“This impressive volume, edited by two of the world’s leading thinkers on these topics, includes the perspectives of many of our best thinkers on issues of talent development and giftedness, and they offer an array of provocative perspectives on how we can better address our culture’s and our economy’s tremendous need for talent in the 21st century.” – Jonathan Plucker, Julian C. Stanley Endowed Professor of Talent Development, Johns Hopkins University



“Turbulence in the subtitle is apt. The text, Giftedness and Talent in the 21st Century, is filled with strongly voiced perspectives from international authors who focus on how to conceptualize education as a creative and holistic enterprise within the context of globalization.” – 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 Giftedness and Talent Development.- Previewing a Collaborative Exploration of Gifted Education and Talent Development in the 21st Century.- Twenty-First Century Contextual Influences on the Life Trajectories of the Gifted and Talented.- Section II: Conceptions of Gifted Education in a Complex, Changing World.- Envisioning a New Century of Gifted Education: The Case for a Paradigm Shift.- Human Nature: The Unpredictable Variable in Engineering the Future.- The Role of Domains in the Conceptualization of Talent.- Holistic Perspectives on Gifted Education for the 21st Century.- The Macroproblem of Conflicting Values in 21st-Century Education.- The Hobbesian Trap in Contemporary India and South Korea: Implications for Education in the 21st Century.- High Achieving Deprived Young People Facing the Challenges of the 21st Century.- Clearing the Way for Pivotal 21st-Century Innovation: More Talent Literacy, Less Talent Management.- Filling That Empty Space in the Lives of People in a Globalized World Beset with Turbulence and Crises.- Section III: New Practicalities for Gifted Education in the 21st Century.- The Autonomous Learner Model: Supporting the Development of Problem Finders, Creative Problem Solvers, and Producers of Knowledge to Successfully Navigate the 21st Century.- Creativity and Innovation: The Twin Pillars of Accomplishment in the 21st Century.- Navigating Talent Development by Fulfilling Gaps between Gifted Potential and Performance.- Giftedness Plus Talent Plus Disabilities: Twice-Exceptional Persons, the 21st Century, and Lifespan Development as Viewed through an Affective Lens.- Section IV: Conclusion.- Has the Term “Gifted” become Giftig (Poisonous) to the Nurturance of Gifted Potential?.- About the Contributors.- Subject Index.