The chapters in this volume address how different contexts and environments can facilitate or constrain the motivation of individuals. Motivational theory has tended to focus on internal psychological processes, but the chapters in this volume remind us that contextual factors are also very important contributors to motivation and achievement. The chapters address the role of context in educational settings including both classroom and school analyses, family contexts, work settings, personal and social contexts, as well as cross-cultural analyses of motivation in non-Western contexts.

For nearly two decades, this series has reflected and chronicled the interests, insights, findings and concerns of motivational researchers. This volume is unique in that it grew out of a conference honoring a major contributor to the motivational literature, Carol Midgley. Yet, it too reflects the richness and variety that exists across motivation research today. While the authors tend to work within a goal theory perspective, they reflect concerns with the range of questions that interest motivation researchers more broadly. True to the tradition established by Carol Midgley, the chapters...