This book is devoted specifically to culture and children's peer relationships. The chapters explore different issues in peer relationships (e.g., theories, emotions, behaviors, friendship, parental influences) using multiple methodologies and diverse populations. Authors have focused on how social and cultural context may influence the processes of peer interactions and the development of peer relationships. We expect that the book will serve as a primary resource for scholars, researchers, graduate students and senior undergraduate students in psychology, sociology, and cultural anthropology, who are interested in peer relationships and cross-cultural human development.

Introduction; 1. Culture and peer relationships Xinyin Chen, Doran C. French and Barry H. Schneider; Part I. Culture and Peer Relationships: Theoretical and Methodological Issues: 2. Children's social behaviors and peer interactions in diverse cultures Carolyn Pope Edwards, Maria Rosario T. de Guzman, Jill Brown and Asiye Kumru; 3. Cultural influences on peer relations: an ecological perspective Anne Marie Tietjen; 4. Analytic considerations in cross-cultural research on peer relations Noel A. Card and Todd D. Little; 5. Qualitative research on children's peer relations in cultural context William A. Corsaro; Part II. Temperamental and Emotional Influences on Peer Relationships: 6. Temperament, socio-emotional functioning and peer relationships in Chinese and North American children Xinyin Chen, Li Wang and Amanda DeSouza; 7. Emotional aspects of peer relations among children in rural Nepal Pamela Cole, Alisha Walker and Mukta S. Lama-Tamang; 8. Emotion, emotion-related regulation, and social functioning Nancy Eisenberg, Qing Zhou, Jeffrey Liew, Claire Champion and Sri Untari Pidada; Commentary I: 9. Temperamental and emotional influences on peer relationships Joan Stevenson-Hinde; Part III. Peers and Parents: 10. Parenting and peer-group behavior in cultural context David A. Nelson, Larry J. Nelson, Craig H. Hart, Chongming Yang and Shenghua Jin; 11. Real and symbolic entry of children in the social world of peers and parent-child interactions: cultural and cross-cultural aspects Paul Goudena; 12. Culture, family contexts and children's coping strategies in peer interactions Yiyuan Xu, Jo Ann Farver, Lei Chang, Lidong Yu and Zengxiu Zhang; Part IV. Peer Interactions and Social Behaviors: 13. The cultural organization of Yucatec Mayan children's social interactions Suzanne Gaskins; 14. Cross-cultural differences in competition amongst children and adolescents Barry H. Schneider, Maria del Pilar Soteras de Toro, Sharon Woodburn, Marta Fulop, Consuelo Cervino, Seth Bernstein and Monica Sandor; 15. Ethnic peer discrimination and psychological well-being among early adolescents Maykel Verkuyten; Commentary II: 16. On hand-holding, spit, and the 'big tickets': a commentary on research from a cultural perspective Kenneth H. Rubin; Part V. Friendships: 17. Friendships of Indonesian, S. Korean and United States youth: exclusivity, intimacy, enhancement of worth, and conflict Doran C. French, Okhwa Lee and Sri Pidada; 18. The cultural practice of close friendships among urban adolescents in the United States Niobe Way; 19. Latino-heritage adolescents' friendships Margarita Azmitia, Angela Ittel and Charlotte Brenk; 20. The cultural context of children and adolescents: peer relationships and intimate friendships among Arab and Jewish children in Israel Ruth Sharabany; Commentary III: 21. Peers and culture: details, local knowledge, and essentials William M. Bukowski and Ryan Adams; Conclusion: peer relationships in cultural perspective: methodological reflections Barry H. Schneider, Doran C. French and Xinyin Chen.